Thorki Ramblings
by Abregine Caffeine
Summary: Just some little blurbs, Thor and Loki growing up together, random situations and such. Warning: ThorXLoki up in here, rated T for now, might go M later on *note: Image from under-base on tumblr, a fantastic artist and inspiration*
1. Chapter 1

Loki quietly padded along the vast hallway towards his and Thor's room, feeling exhausted and humiliated. He'd been bested yet again in training by Thor's ridiculously oversized friend. The injustice of it made Loki's heart pound with anger and frustration…how had his father expected him to overcome a boy of that girth? The look on the great Allfather's face when Loki's frail frame had, yet again, hit the ground with a painful thud had been a familiar one of disappointment. His son had further proven himself an incapable warrior. But Loki was accustomed to that look, that feeling...the true source of his pain was that his father had grown tired…bored of watching his son fall and fail against the larger boy's blows. Loki would've gotten up, would've taken his stance, and taken hit after hit after hit if only his father's gaze would remain on him, watching him fight and try and hurt…watching him do anything. Even if it meant disappointing him, even if it was humiliating, Loki would fight until his face was blackened by bruises and covered in sweat and dust if only his father would watch him do so.

But he was dull…boring…unworthy of his father's gaze, his attention.

He walked at a sullen, shuffled pace, close to the wall, and he drug a forearm against his bruised face, angrily wiping away tears he wished he could stop. What a pathetic thing to do after training, after fighting, after losing a battle…to cry. It was an action meant for children, and he was most certainly not a child. He was almost 15 years old, he was becoming a young man…his father would only take more pity on him if he saw him in this lowly state after his sad performance not 10 minutes ago.

But they didn't stop, only continued to silently flow down his cheeks, washing away the dirt and sweat and small drops of blood and revealing streaks of his pale skin. His chin quivered and his brow furrowed together in a furious attempt to silence his feelings. A small choking sound escaped his throat and he stopped in the hall, leaning against the wall and clenching his fists. With a small, strained cry he swung his right fist into the stone wall, refusing to cry out when pain shot through his knuckles and laced his bones. He faced the wall and threw another punch, this time with his left, tears streaming down his face as more pain swept up his arms, continuing to abuse the stone corridor, seeking punishment for the weaknesses that clung to him like a cloak.

He was so much smaller than Thor, than his friend, than everyone. He was never enough, never strong, never brave, never fearless, never warrior-like, though he wanted to be more than anything in the world. He couldn't grasp why it was so much more difficult for him, why had it come so easily to Thor?

Thor…with his golden hair and healthy skin and lean frame and his damned warrior's intellect; he was born for battle, for glory, for greatness…for their father's pride and approval. Sickeningly perfect. It was too painful to watch him stride around, day after day, wallowing in everyone's admiration, drinking it all in so greedily. Loki despised his brother at times like these, when all he ever wanted was to be like him…to be Thor's equal, to have a fighting chance against him for their father's approval, even more so for Thor's approval. To be able to throw his golden brother to the ground and pin him down, make him surrender to his strength and cunning. Long had Loki dreamt of the look of surprise on Thor's face when he first bested him in battle; that gleam of admiration that would spark behind his frustrated features…for that glimpse of fear and respect.

Loki had stopped pounding at the wall and stood with his bloodied hands spread against it, his forehead pressed to the cold stone, breathing shallow and his expression concentrated on imagining that look in his brother's eyes. The gleam of his father's surprised laughter or even his anger, if he wasn't able to handle the sight before him: Loki standing over a defeated and bruised Thor.

He sighed, his anger leaking from his lungs and his heart steadying itself. His muscles relaxed and the pain in his hand became more apparent and mocked him for his childish behavior. He stepped back and wearily continued towards his chambers, both physically and emotionally exhausted. When he reached the enormous decorative doors, he pushed them open with some difficulty, peeking in to see if Thor was in there, waiting to scoff at his wounds or initiate a playful wrestling match, that of which Loki was most certainly _not_ in the mood for. The sun was in the midst of setting, and the evening's dim glow filtered in through the crack in the doorway. Loki's eyes adjusted to the darkness of their chambers and he took note that the oaf wasn't in his bed. He assumed he was probably laughing with his fat friend over Loki's pathetic defeat.

He closed the door behind him and headed for the washroom, eager for the water's hot rinse to wash away all the evidence of the day's events. He pulled his stained white tunic off his bruised torso with a slow soreness and kicked his boots off at the washroom's door.

He hesitated in opening the door when he heard a voice from inside; a low humming and the soft slosh of water. He cursed under his breath and took notice that there was a small flickering of yellow light dancing under the door's frame.

"_A bath by candlelight, honestly Thor,"_ he thought, rolling his eyes.

He flung the door open and the candle's flame sputtered threateningly at the sudden intrusion. The washroom was draped in the golden and violet glow of the receding sun, and Thor's bright blue eyes peeped over the edge of the brass washbasin at him briefly before disappearing beneath the water's surface with a messy _slosh_ sound.

Loki rolled his eyes tiredly and pulled his filthy trousers off, tossing the dusty fabric into the corner and approaching the sink to wash his face before Thor could notice the blood and dirt.

He stood there in naught but his undergarments, letting the water fill up the deep basin, staring at his face in the mirror with a deep loathing, listening to Thor attempt to stay under the water in some spontaneous and childish attempt to impress him.

He plunged his hands into the cool water and brought it cupped to his face, scrubbing furiously at his pale features and running his fingers through his dark, sweaty locks. He blinked away the drips that clung to his lashes and looked again in the mirror, wishing to see Thor smiling back at him, his mop of scruffy wild blonde hair and brilliantly white smile…but the dark, frail boy met his hateful glare yet again. His brows met, crinkling his fair skin and darkening his green eyes, and he thrust his entire head into the basin, longing to drown the image and its pathetic reputation; to drown its air of weakness and well-known frailty…to start over.

He held his breath, feeling the stream of water beat at the nape of his neck, the water loosening the dirt from his locks and from behind his ears. A few bubbles of air escaped the tight line of his lips and tickled his face as they rushed towards the surface. His hands gripped the sides of the marble counter and he gritted his teeth, willing the water to remake him, cleanse him, and change everything about him.

And suddenly there were hands on his shoulders, yanking him out of his watery transformation and a flash of aquamarine darted through his vision.

"OK you win," Thor's laughter came heartily, though there was an air of irritation to it, "You'd rather drown than lose, wouldn't you?" His brother's blue eyes glinted at him as he stared back at him, face and hair dripping.

Loki shoved his brother's hands off of him and turned his back on him, "I wasn't _competing _with you brother, I was merely washing my face."

"And what a wash it was, I thought you'd lost your mind!"

"Well you were occupying the tub, so I thought it best I leave you to your childish games and attempt to get at least some of this filth off me," Loki retorted, gesturing to his bare torso and the rest of his dusted, bruised body. Then suddenly his brow gave a twitch and he glanced at Thor over his shoulder, "and by the Nine, Thor, would you put some clothes on?"

Thor exploded with laughter, his lean chest expanding and falling with each beautiful breath. It truly wasn't fair to live in the shadow of such a bright star. Loki huffed indignantly and made his way towards the brass tub.

"What's the matter, Loki, am I so intimidating that you can't handle the smallest of glimpses at my impressive manhood?"

"Oh please," Loki barked, his shoulders hunching with embarrassment as he hefted one leg over the edge of the tub, "the only basis for boasting your _'manhood'_ has is that it springs with eagerness at the very sight of Sif!" A wicked laugh escaped his lips when he heard no reply from his no doubt dumbfounded brother.

"And besides, it's not as if you—," Loki began, but was cut off by his brother's broad shoulder connecting with his back and tackling him into the enormous tub with a thunderous splash that emptied it of most of its water.

He struggled against his brother's strong arms that locked around his waist and kicked angrily at the bottom of the basin. The water was dark, their splash from their collision had probably extinguished the small candle, and all Loki saw were flashes of tanned skin and golden hair swirling around before him. He squeezed a leg between Thor's torso and his and shoved against his brother's chest with his foot, sending him speeding through the water. Loki surfaced and sputtered, frantically wheeling towards the direction he'd kicked Thor. The basin was large, probably large enough for 10 people at most, so the fact that the water now only barely rose to Loki's narrow hips said something for the amount of water they'd displaced.

Thor exploded from the other side of the basin and glared at Loki, "You take it back, you slithering imp!"

Loki relished his brother's tormented and embarrassed expression, drinking it in with glee.

"I will not! There's nothing wrong with speaking the blatant TRUTH," he roared back at his brother, widening his stance and readying himself for Thor's next attack, "it's no secret, Thor, everyone can see how excited she makes you, you perverted, pathetic animal!"

"RAAGH!" Thor screamed and lunged for his brother, but Loki was quicker and dodged him, sending him clumsily splashing into the water. Thor was always quick to anger like this, hardly taking in time to register what he was feeling or why. He always simply leapt into action and sought to destroy any assault on his dignity. Loki thought it was hilarious, provoking his brother, confusing and frustrating him. Words had always been his weapon, his one stronghold against his brother's strength; it gave him a sense of control, to be the cause of Thor's anger and bend it to his will.

"More than _fancy_ I'd say," Loki laughed as his brother attempted to right himself in the water, "you probably openly fantasize about her in broad daylight, don't you?"

"I FIND SIF REPULSIVE!" Thor raged, his face red in the dim afterglow of the sunset, "I'd never even CONSIDER bedding such a bony excuse for a girl!"

"Then perhaps bony is just your type, since her pointy figure seems to arouse you ever so!" Loki was simply baiting Thor now; he no longer cared whether or not Thor found Sif attractive. He wanted to fight Thor, wanted to watch his clumsy form fall again and again into the few waves left and laugh himself to sleep for days after thinking about it.

"Well even _your _feminine curves far outdo Sif's, Loki," Thor spat, "You're more of a woman than she is! Any man would be glad to have such a _pretty_ little thing in his bed at night!"

Loki's face reddened with rage and embarrassment, but he held his ground, knowing if he pursued Thor he'd be overtaken.

He faked an expression of shock, "Dear gods, Thor, are you saying you'd rather bed _me_ than Sif?"

That seemed to do the trick. Thor's eyes went wide with wild humiliation and he let out a strangled cry as he sprang towards Loki who was too busy inwardly gloating at his last words, failed to react quickly enough to dodge his brother's body.

"GACKHG," Loki gasped as Thor plunged them both under the water and wrapped his hands around his pale throat. Thor's grasp held him under the water and squeezed threateningly around his neck, glaring at him from above the now cold water. Loki frantically flailed his arms and legs, reaching up to claw at Thor's chest in a panic. He knew Thor wouldn't _mean_ to kill him, but the fool was so dim-witted that he could very well drown him in the process of trying to prove his strength and dominance over his brother.

After a few more seconds of struggling, an idea sprung into his mind and he let his body go limp and float submissively in the water. Thor immediately released him and ripped him from the water by his shoulders. He was hesitant for a moment, giving his brother's face a close inspection.

"Loki...?"

He remained silent, inwardly laughing and trying to hold his breath.

"Loki," Thor shouted, much too close to Loki's ear, and he shook his lean shoulders desperately, "LOKI!"

Loki dared the narrowest of glimpses through his squinted eyes and took in Thor's intensely frightened stare, fixated on his brother's face. His blue eyes practically glowed in the dark and were wide with terror as he shouted Loki's name again and again.

Loki took the opportunity and landed a strong, solid punch to Thor's jaw, sending him splashing backwards. Loki gasped in air, and soon doubled over in breathless laughter.

Thor's eyes were still wide and worried when he stood; not seeming to register that it had been Loki's fist that had just knocked him square in the face.

"Loki…," Thor's expression was confused and he stood there staring at his brother, holding his jaw.

He laughed harder, trying to catch his breath, "My word, Thor, you're such an idiot!"

He was still dizzy from his lack of air and failed to notice Thor wading towards him. He abruptly stopped laughing when his brother grabbed him by the shoulders and roughly pulled him to his chest, embracing him tightly and not uttering a word while Loki stood there, breathing shallow, a faintly amused smirk on his lips. His arms were locked at his sides and an eyebrow slowly rose up in interest as he waited for Thor to release him.

His breathing evened out and he rested his chin on Thor's shoulder, tossing a sidelong glance towards the wet strands of hair that clung to the side of his face.

"…Thor," he spoke, almost a question.

His brother's shoulders shook a little and Loki's brows shot upward.

"Thor, are you crying?"

"What is wrong with you?" he shouted, shoving Loki against the side of the tub and glaring down at him, angry tears mixed with the drops of water that clung to his nose and eyelashes and forehead. Loki stared back at him, unsure of what to make of his brother's expression.

"What's wrong with _me_? You were holding me underwater by the neck, you ridiculous fool!"

"Well if you didn't say such _stupid _things I wouldn't need to teach you a lesson!"

"Oh yes, because you are most certainly the expert and ultimate authority on _intelligible sayings_."

"Of course I…," he trailed off, his eyes softening, "Loki…your eye…what…"

Loki's eyebrows shot together and he turned his face away from his brother's unbearably curious gaze, "Don't act so surprised." His words were laden with bitterness and his downcast eyes begged his brother not to pry.

"…Training?" Thor offered softly, an uncharacteristic gentleness contrasting with his otherwise barbaric demeanor.

"No, Thor, I just decided that I'd kindly ask someone to repeatedly throw me to the ground for my own personal pleasure," Loki scoffed, shrinking into the water, seeking solitude behind his sarcasm.

The golden haired boy grabbed his brother's chin and lifted it up, earning him a venomous look. "Even I've never left such marks on you, not even in my most blind of rages," Thor mumbled, examining his brother's now prominent black eye and several cuts and bruises.

"Nonsense," Loki laughed bitterly.

Thor's gaze turned to one of blatant hurt and Loki suddenly felt very exposed and vulnerable with guilt. Thor had never been one to mask his emotions, his shining face was always elaborately animated, whether he was laughing or confused or furious…Loki hated it, the sincerity of it all. He was tired. Exhausted. He wanted to just clean up and go to bed and forget how many times he'd failed today.

"Loki…I am sorry…," Thor spoke hesitantly, a familiar tone of pity in his words, "I didn't…"

"Don't waste your breath, brother, I've received quite enough pity for one day," Loki spat, standing and wading towards the edge of the basin. He grabbed the high edge and leapt over it with nimble grace.

Thor remained silent and Loki took pride in the quiet, knowing the guilt his brother surely felt.

"_Serves him right, the oaf, practically drowning me, and suddenly he's all concerned my eye's been blackened, what a joke,"_ Loki thought as he splashed through the massive puddles on the marble floor,_ "Probably angry he wasn't the one to give it to me, Thor's never been the sharing type, greedy bastard, I'm not a toy—"_

His thoughts were interrupted when a heavy bundle of sopping wet fabric hit him in the back of the head and he abruptly halted, shoulders hunched over from the impact.

He sighed and pulled the dripping mass off his head, realizing it was his undergarments. He must've lost them during their watery wrestling match. He blushed slightly as the realization dawned on his irritated features. He'd just been wrestling, completely naked, with his brother in a bathtub.

He turned to glare at Thor over his shoulder, who was again peeping innocently over the top of the tub, eyes eerily glowing in the dark.

"…Thank you," he grumbled, wringing them out and tossing them amongst his trousers in the corner. He grabbed a towel from a small rack near the door and threw it over his head, scrubbing at his wet mop of hair. He heard Thor climb out of the tub and he instinctively moved forward blindly towards the door, knowing he would likely try to make up for his guilt by initiating yet another physical attack.

Just as he was about to pull the towel off his head, he felt his brother grab him round the waist with one arm and hoist him up and over his shoulder.

"THOR, dammit, I'm not in the—would you just—AEGH, watch the hand, what are you—oof." He felt himself tossed onto a bed, and he mentally cursed Thor for not letting him dry off first. He sure as hell wasn't going to sleep in a bed with soaking wet sheets.

He ripped the towel off his head and started when he found Thor's face just inches from his. His brother's hand came up to roughly cup his neck and he gave him a warm smile.

"I am sorry brother," he said sincerely, "I do not pity you. I admire your will and your determination. You are quite the adversary, especially in the tub."

Loki blushed profusely and shoved the towel at Thor's face, "Oh for gods' sakes Thor, would you just leave me alone and dry off; you're drenched."

Thor laughed and pulled the towel around his neck.

"Come on now, don't be so stubborn," he chuckled, grabbing Loki's face in his hands and scrunching his eyes and lips together in a mock 'kissy' face. Loki leaned away, one eye squished close in an attempt to pull his face out of Thor's strong grip.

"Mffgh Thfor, lehtgho," he growled, annoyed.

Thor planted a soft kiss on his brother's forehead and pushed him into the pillows before standing and striding towards the bathroom, idly drying his hair with the towel.

Loki rubbed his blushing cheeks and hopped off the bed, eyes lingering on Thor's retreating form. As soon as he'd disappeared from view, Loki sighed deeply and went to his drawers to find something clean to wear for bed. He drew a pair of soft cream colored cotton trousers on, not bothering with a shirt, and returned to their bed chamber. After drying his torso off, he quickly claimed the dry bed and whipped the covers over himself with an unnecessary flair just as Thor emerged from the bathroom, clad in nothing but an oversized white night shirt.

"Oh no you don't," Thor chuckled from somewhere in the darkness of their room.

"Oh yes I do, you're the one who got the other one soaking wet," Loki hissed back, his tone dangerous and just _daring_ Thor to try and take the bed from him.

"Well I'm not sleeping in a wet bed," Thor's voice came indignant from the shadows.

"Well it wouldn't be the first time, now would it?" Loki laughed, preparing to be ripped out of the bed by his legs.

Thor, however, settled for simply leaping into bed, landing uncomfortably on his brother's form. He unceremoniously tore back the covers and settled down next to Loki, one arm resting on the top of the sheets and sighing contentedly.

"Agh—, what are you doing," Loki grumbled.

"I'm going to bed."

"No. This is my bed."

"No, brother, this is _our_ bed."

"You can't sleep here!"

"Goodnight brother, dream well."

"You—….I refuse to—…" Loki fumed and attempted to shove Thor off the bed for a solid 5 minutes, but to no avail. He finally collapsed next to his brother and gave a frustrated huff, turning on his side and facing away from Thor. He greedily pulled as many covers as he could around himself in a last attempt to piss his brother off.

He felt his brother shift his weight and Loki expected a strong hand to fist in the pile and tug them back. Instead he felt Thor's body curl up against his back, his arm reaching around to tuck itself amongst the folds of sheets Loki had confiscated.

He thought about protesting, about shoving his brother off of him and making another crude joke to coax him out of his bed, but exhaustion was pulling at his eyelids and blurring his planned remarks.

Thor's forehead rested against the crook of Loki's neck, his soft breath puffing against his bare back. He idly noted how much warmth Thor gave off, even more so than the entirety of the covers draped over him. It was comforting and oddly relaxing. Loki soon sleepily kicked the sheets to the bottom of the bed and unconsciously leaned further into the curve of his brother's frame, just as Thor's arms instinctively pulled him closer.


	2. Chapter 2

Thor and Loki had always shared a bed, from the moment their mother had deemed them old enough to leave their parents' side and have their own bedchambers. There had been two magnificent beds fashioned for the young princes' upcoming birthdays, both equal in their exquisite woodwork and colorful canopies. Their mother even had their names elaborately carved into the headboards, the lettering magnificent and boasting of her two beautiful sons.

They were only 5 years old when they first set foot in their new chambers, blue and green eyes gone wide with awe and wonder at the enormity and vastness of the high ceilings and spacious rooms. Thor had smiled at Loki before laughing and breaking into a messy run for the burgundy golden bed; obviously meant for him. Loki had hesitantly glanced up at his mother for approval before following suit, and clawing his way onto Thor's bed to join him. Thor had laughed and pushed his arms off, giving his brother a superior look from over the edge.

"Tho—r," he whined, reaching his small hands up to his brother, flexing his fingers and bouncing on the tips of his toes. Thor grinned and grabbed his brother by the elbows and attempted to lift him up. When his brother proved too heavy a weight for him, their mother laughed lightly and helped Loki onto the bed. He immediately tackled Thor, his submissive and adorable act wiped clean from his now vengeful features. Thor only laughed and squeezed his brother tight to his small chest as they rolled around and fought for the upper hand.

"Now, now, gentle boys," their mother smiled down on them, "Loki, you have your own bed too, just over there! It even has your name on it, just like Thor's." She encouraged her smaller son who's eyes were now fixated on her words, blinking in confusion. He followed her slender pointing finger to the bed beside Thor's. He grinned down at Thor in triumph and stood up on the bed, leaping gracefully over to his prize. The queen gave a worried gasp, "Careful, Loki! You nimble child!"

Thor's brow furrowed at his brother's absence and he hopped after him, not quite making the distance and clutching to the silken green sheets at the bed's edge, clawing his way up to the top to join his brother. Loki was jumping, quite high, and hadn't noticed Thor's presence until he tripped over his brother's legs. They tumbled onto one another and Loki pushed at his brother's form.

"This one's mine, Thor!"

"I want to jump too!"

"That's yours," Loki pointed, stubborn brow furrowed at the intruder.

"But I want to jump with you!"

"Loki, dearest, share your bed with Thor, he shared his with you," his mother softly scolded from her perch on the edge of the burgundy bed.

Loki met his mother's gaze with an immediate look of repentance, his bright green eyes widening with shy guilt. She smiled warmly back at him and he quickly recovered, a grin breaking his worried expression.

She watched them wrestle for a while and then stood and reminded them, "Boys, there's more rooms you know? Through that door there, that is your play room, father had brand new toys made especially for your birthdays!"

At the word 'toys' the boys both halted in their fighting and Thor shouted with glee, pushing Loki off him and springing out of bed towards the door their mother had indicated. Loki jumped after him, shooting a half questioning look over his shoulder at his mother, who nodded and waved him off.

She quietly pursued them into the room and watched as Thor placed an enormous helmet on his head and bellowed proudly to his brother who had padded over to the far wall.

"Loki! Loki, look at me!"

"Woah," Loki offered in quiet awe, glancing at Thor from a bookshelf in the corner.

"And look, Loki!" Thor cried again, when his brother's attention wandered back to the collection of books. He raised a wooden sword high in the air, looking victorious. Loki clutched a book to his chest and ran to join Thor, showering him with adoration. Thor beamed in the glow of his brother's gaze, turning this way and that, making sure Loki had seen the entirety of his splendor.

"You need a cape, like father," Loki piped up, glancing around. Thor smiled even wider and wheeled around in all directions, searching out a suitable material.

"I'm afraid your majestic cape will have to wait," spoke the queen, "its late children; time for you to get some rest."

They voiced their disappointment in unison, Thor clutching his helmet in mild frustration and Loki glancing down at his book sullenly.

"Well think of it this way," she offered, lowering to sit on her heels and looking her sons in the eyes, "now you get to try out your brand new beds and see what fascinating dreams they bring you."

Loki's eyes brightened, "Are they magical beds?"

"As magical as the boys they belong to," she cooed, running her fingers through his dark hair, "they will give you many pleasant and exciting dreams, I'm sure." Loki and Thor grinned at each other, eager for perhaps the first time in their young lives to go to sleep.

"Now, hurry along and strip for your bath, it's almost dark!"

* * *

"Now, now, Thor, please don't splash so much, mother's got to get these tangles out of your lovely hair," the queen scolded.

"It hurts, mother!"

"I know, but it's got to be done dear, you don't want to waltz around looking like you've got a bird's nest on your head." Loki cackled from the other end of the tub and Thor spat his tongue at him.

"Mother, can I brush my own hair," the dark haired brother asked timidly.

"Of course, love, just make sure and do a thorough job of it," she smiled, handing him another golden comb.

He smiled and began slowly running the glittering tool through his thick mop of dark hair, careful and meticulous. Thor watched him closely and became suddenly envious.

"Mother, I want to brush my own hair too," he announced loudly.

"Oh, Thor, dear," she sighed, giving him a knowing look.

"I can do it!"

She smiled at him and handed him the comb, pinching his nose as she did. He squirmed away and readied the comb in his golden tresses, staring intensely at his brother and studying every fluid stroke. He clumsily tugged it through his hair, wincing but refusing to complain. Loki's small hands continued to gracefully comb his dark hair backwards, away from his face. Thor liked Loki's hair like that, when it wasn't hanging in his eyes, and he halted in his brushing to take in the unusual and rare sight of his brother's pale forehead.

Their mother said something about being careful and fetching towels before gliding around the corner to the cabinets.

The golden haired boy was caught between jealousy and admiration as Loki finished, setting the comb aside on the tub's edge and running his hands carefully along the curve of his neatly styled hair.

"Loki, do mine too," Thor demanded, thrusting his comb out towards his brother. Loki blinked back at him for a few seconds and nodded, grabbing the comb and wading over to him. Thor spun around, his legs crossed in the waist deep water, and awaited his brother's expertise.

Loki sat back on his calves and leaned forward. Thor prepared for the usual uncomfortable yanks at his sensitive scalp, but was only met with a few gentle tugs and pulls as Loki began to brush back Thor's wild tresses in a similar style to his own.

After he'd finished, Loki set the comb next to his own and sat back, admiring his handiwork. Thor glanced at him over his shoulder, looking expectant.

"Is it done?"

Loki nodded.

Thor faced his brother and smiled widely, "How does it look?"

Loki shrugged and nodded again, "Ok."

His brow furrowed and he ran his fingers through the neatly styled strands, mussing them a bit and then smiled again, "Now?"

Loki smiled. "Better," he confirmed.

* * *

After they had bathed, Loki and Thor squirmed into their night shirts and approached their mother, who was staring out their bedroom window at the setting sun.

"Mother," Thor said confidently, giving the hem of her dress a small tug. Loki peeped up at her from behind his shoulder.

"Can you read some of this book before we go to bed?" Loki's eyes were downcast; embarrassed that Thor was asking for him and still clutching the book he'd plucked from the shelf earlier.

"Of course I can, let's see what fascinating novel you've chosen, Loki." He held the book up to her, eyes alert and excited. It was bound in thick brown leather, an intricate, floral, swirling pattern running up the spine and spilling onto the front.

"Is it one about battles," Thor asked out loud, "About father and the frost giants?" His brother's eyes grew frightened and he glanced from Thor back to his mother, worried he'd chosen the terrifying tale his golden brother ever begged for his father to recount day after day.

"No, my loves, this is a novel about a young maiden who has been placed under a curse," their mother assured her children. Thor groaned and shot Loki a sarcastic 'well done' look that his brother shied from.

"In order to break the curse, a dashing knight must conquer several mighty beasts and face all sorts of terrors," she continued, her golden haired boy perking up at the idea of monsters.

"What kind of curse is it," Loki asked.

"Let's find out, shall we?"

* * *

After she'd tucked them both into their beds she sat on a chair in the middle and began to read, her elegant voice painting scenes of forests and castles in the sleepy minds of the princes as they both watched her with lidded eyes, locks spilling over the silkiness of their pillows. She read only a few pages, her voice growing softer and softer, coaxing the brothers into sleep, aided by the setting sun and gentle glow of twilight. Once it had sunk below the horizon and the world grew dim and dark, she paused in her reading and admired her two boys, both so beautiful and different and loved. Smiling, she rose from her chair and planted kisses on their foreheads.

"Goodnight my loves, dream well," she whispered as she closed the door.

* * *

"Loki…"

The boy gave a short sigh as his dreams were interrupted by a hand on his shoulder.

"Loki."

Someone was shaking him and he mumbled into his pillow before blearily cracking one eye open. He squinted against the intrusion and blinked a few times, his eyes hesitant to adjust to the dark surroundings. Two enormous blue orbs peeped at him from over the edge and he jumped a little, sinking further into the softness of his new bed.

"Thor…?" he asked quietly, hoping the eyes before him didn't belong to the monster the knight had just barely overcome in his book.

"Loki, can I sleep in your bed?"

Loki's eyebrows scrunched together in irritation, "Mmf…why?"

Thor blinked, obviously unprepared for the question.

"…I'm cold," he replied, standing on his tip toes so that Loki got a glimpse of his mouth as he said it.

Loki focused on his brother's face. There was a rushed air about him, as if it was taking every ounce of his courage to stay standing at his brother's bedside. He was scared. Loki smirked a little.

"You're not."

"I am," Thor insisted, ready to defend his claim, "I'm freezing! Let me sleep with you!"

Loki hushed him, "Quiet! You'll wake father!"

"Well then let me!" Thor now bounced back and forth on his feet, as if something were grabbing at them from under Loki's bed. His face bobbed up and down, eyes disappearing and reappearing quite comically from the bed's edge.

"But it has _my_ name on—," he was blatantly ignored as Thor frantically climbed onto bed eagerly, a small whimper of fear catching in his throat. He tossed the covers back and hurriedly yanking them back over both of their heads.

Loki gave a small snort of disbelief and lay there offended.

"Thor this is _my _magic bed!"

"But mine doesn't work, I can't sleep!"

"Well what if you break mine?"

"I won't, I promise!"

They both lay there in the silence that followed, breathing in the dark, waiting for Loki's response. He gave none though, only gave a small sigh and closed his eyes, inviting sleep once again. Thor blinked up at the dark outline of his brother under the sheets, carefully allowing him space so he wouldn't make any more fuss about his presence. After a while he made himself comfortable next to his brother, settling into the large pillow and sinking into the bed.

* * *

Later that night, as Thor lay sprawled across the expanse of Loki's bed, he felt something cold latch onto his chest and it startled him out of his sleep. He shot up out of bed and frantically glanced about the sheets trying to find what monstrous creature had grabbed at him. Loki, who was curled up against his brother now, gave a small irritated whimper as Thor's movements shook the bed. Again his thin hand slowly sought out Thor's nightshirt, idly searching for some sort of warmth to cling to.

Loki had always had their mother to cling to at night, an almost desperate and frantic habit he had developed over the years. Although he was normally detached and quiet, always calmly accepting his mother's affections with a shy smile, he was almost fiercely affectionate when he slept, clinging to pillows and to his mother's waist.

His hand now again wound itself into Thor's nightshirt and he inched closer, a thin leg wrapping round his own. He took a deep breath and scolded himself for his heart's rapid thumping at such a small thing as Loki, and he lay back down, threading an arm under Loki's pillow and trying not to laugh when his brother nudged his face hurriedly into the crook of his shoulder. He relaxed, sighing again in relief and allowing sleep to overtake him once again as he drifted into Loki's dreams.

((Notes: Thanks for the reviews and favorites :] Super excited to see some people are enjoying it so far! This one was a pretty long ramble, as you can see I've been thoroughly inspired and fascinated by depictions of Thor and Loki's childhood, so I'm stuffing in a bunch of adorable gushy little brother things. Hope you like it, again feel free to review! Still more to come. ^^))


	3. Chapter 3

"Loki, my brother, tonight is the night we become men!" Thor's arrogant smile blinded him as he snuck a glance over the top of his book.

"…What are on about, Thor?" Loki regarded his brother with a bored expression, eyes lidded with irritated indifference.

"My dear friend Volstagg is hosting a glorious feast in honor of my victory against the ferocious slithering beast that—."

"Oh Thor, by the gods, I was _there_, you saved my wretched _life_, spare me the details and make your blasted point already!"

His brother smiled, shaggy blonde hair hanging in in his sapphire eyes, unaffected by the harsh tone.

"There will be mead, brother," he laughed heartily, "Mead and ale and wine and all sorts of drink; and it will be ours for the sampling! I should like to down my first drink alongside my brother." He finished with an expectant and rather superior gesture towards his younger brother, obviously anticipating excitable gratitude from him.

Loki squinted down his sharp nose at him, wondering if he was really so dim-witted that he would actually even consider inviting his brother to a party that celebrated his own pathetic humiliation. But, then again, this was Thor, and it hadn't been humiliating at all for him to dash in and slice off the beast's slimy head just as it had been bearing down on Loki with its rows of putrid yellow, razor-like teeth.

He seethed at the memory. The sight of him, hands raised in useless defense as Thor leapt in and saved him and his pathetic existence yet again. Their father had been too occupied praising Thor to even spare a humiliated glance in Loki's direction when they returned home.

"Aren't you a little young for drink, brother?" he inquired spitefully.

Thor frowned down at him, crossing his arms, "Of course I'm not; I've just turned sixteen! This is the age all men have their first drink!"

Loki scoffed, "Please, I beg you, quiet your voice; you're already pretending to be drunk." Thor's brow twitched in impatience.

"Are you coming or not?"

"I should think not," Loki replied quickly cutting his brother off and returning his attention to the page, "I already bear witness daily to your ridiculous antics, I'm not entirely eager to sit back and watch you make an even greater fool of yourself."

Thor sighed, frustrated, "Loki, this is an important day for me, for us!" The dark haired boy smirked bitterly from behind his novel, noting his brother's quick correction. He always did this to him, always dragged Loki along, forcing him to take part in his glory, though it only served to belittle his brother even more. Yet he seemed oblivious to it all, which perhaps was what Loki hated the most.

His brother glared at him, searching for words that could convince him to come along.

"Why must you always be so stubborn?" he blurted after a moment.

"Me?" Loki laughed, "_I'm_ the stubborn one, am I?"

"Here is your brother, offering you a night of entertainment and celebration, and you immediately reject his offer in favor of your pointless studies," Thor replied, dramatically gesturing with his hands.

"Pointless," Loki muttered darkly, a thin smile pulling on his lips.

Thor reached forward and grabbed the book from his hands.

"Thor!" Loki barked harshly, "I will not be bullied into attending this absurd celebration for your own vanity!" Thor ignored his words and kept the book from Loki's quick hands that now darted up to reclaim their property.

"What shall I give you in exchange for your attendance," Thor laughed, "There will be plenty of maidens there, perhaps I can put in a good word for you!" Loki stopped reaching for the book and stepped back, glaring at his brother directly.

"Funny, brother, but I don't think anything makes your invitation sound even remotely appealing, not even you and your precious maidens."

"If you'd just stop being jealous and let me share them with you," Thor winked, punching his shoulder lightly. Loki rolled his eyes and leaned away from him.

"Loki," he placed a hand heavily on his shoulder and looked him in the eye, "It won't be the same without you. Yes, I shall have many friends to laugh with and many ladies to court and many ales to drink…but you're my brother, and I'll be damned if have my first drunken night without you."

Loki only stared coldly back at him, at the determination and unsettlingly warm affection. It made him squirm, the way his brother always regarded him with such fondness, no matter how harsh his words sounded, no matter how hurtful and stubborn and cruel he was to him. It didn't make one bit of sense, but then again…this was Thor. Thor never made sense.

"I will stay for an hour."

* * *

"Alright, Loki," Thor grinned wickedly at his brother from the seat next to him at the table, the sounds of the gathering making his heart thump with rebellious anticipation, "what shall we toast to?" Loki held his mug of ale with both hands, regarding it with uncertainty and looking thoroughly displeased about the whole affair. He glared up at his brother for plunging him into such an uncomfortable and strange situation…_again._

"That perhaps one day you'll grow into a real man, instead of waving your big drink around and beating your chest like a pretending child," he quipped, smirking cleverly at him.

"I propose," Thor boomed, glaring into Loki's face, "that we toast to my stunningly handsome looks!"

"Thor, typically you toast to something that does, in fact, exist," Loki retorted, a wide and joking smile breaking his features when Thor's friends erupted with laughter around them, "Surely you have some noble truth you've prepared in your eagerness for this grand, _defining_ moment."

Thor smiled and held his hands up in mock defeat, giving the crowd an accepting smile, "Alright, Loki, I've heard enough of your silver tongue. Let us drink to this one '_noble truth'_ then: That you are my brother and I am yours." The dark haired boy rolled his eyes, snickering along with the rest of the crowd.

"Is that a true enough toast for you, brother," Thor roared, the crowd cheering in response.

"True enough, indeed," Loki laughed, smiling genuinely back at him.

They brought their mugs together with a resonating _CLACKH_ and downed the contents as fast as they could, both racing to finish first.

Thor's heart was pounding with pride and excitement as the foreign drink tumbled down his throat and burned in his belly, peeking over his drink at Loki all the time, trying to keep score of who was farther along.

And Loki looked back at him, the sensation of the new taste tickling his tongue and making his eyes water, as he stubbornly fought to swallow every last drop before his brother could.

The crowd laughed and cheered as the brothers' heads tipped backwards and further backwards still, until they almost toppled over in their chairs. And then, as if a universal timer had gone off, they both triumphantly slammed their empty mugs to the table at the same time, smiling competitively at one another with the froth still clinging to their lips as their friends burst into more joyous applause and Volstagg heartily shouted for another round.

* * *

Much longer than an hour later, Loki burst into hysterical laughter along with the rest of the crowd as Thor, the poor soul, stood atop the table loudly recounting the battle he'd won earlier that day against the snake-like creature. At least, that's what the tale had started out as…

"Loki, Loki my dear brother here," Thor crowed, eyes wide with terror, stumbling and gabbing a thumb in his direction, "He leapt…LEAPT up, right into the air, and he just…_smacked_ away all the geese that were—it was terrifying, I thought I'd been done for—, it was the bravest thing I've ever seen in all my years of battle!"

Volstagg stood with his face buried in another large bearded man's shoulder, silently shaking with laughter and avoiding Thor's unbearably serious expression.

"It was magnific—and Loki remember the part where the large serpent—hahahaa, oh my _gods_, it fancied you ever so, Loki," he collapsed into a fit of jolly laughter, "It leaned in close and told—pfftftf—told me, it said, 'By the _Nine_, Thor my lad, what a…what a delicious-looking _cow_ that is over there'!" They all rolled with laughter, even Loki, who normally never took jokes about his helmet with good spirit, and Thor thrust his mug up into the air and earning him another round of applause. The golden haired lad encouraged them roaring crowd with cries of, "'_I must have that cow!'_", "'_Such a tasty cow!_'"

"Thor, brother, I swear I don't remember any geese," Loki shouted over the crowd, eyes bright with laughter.

Thor's eyes went wide and serious again and the guests laughed even harder at his returned vigor.

"You lie," he cried, pointing accusingly, "You were _there_, you, you were smacking them, right and around—they were fearsome!" Loki's head hit the table in surrender, his whole body shaking with laughter. He couldn't take much more of this hilarity.

Thor swiveled around, drunkenly observing the crowd as best he could, "You don't—the lot of you, you don't believe me do you!"

"Of course we do, Thor, of course we do," Volstagg called to him from the crowd, waving to a servant with his empty mug.

"I suppose no one would recall, uhm…," he searched for words with a strained expression, a hand resting on his forehead momentarily, "When—, wait a moment, Sif weren't you there?"

Sif rolled her eyes at him and smiled, "NO, Thor, I wasn't there to witness your honorable retreat from the fearsome geese!"

"You must've been there, I remember telling—I _told_ you, I said, 'Dammit Sif, this is no time to worry 'bout your blasted hair!'" Another round of laughter ensued.

"As if I would care what my hair looked like during the heat of battle," she shouted, smiling and taking a swig from her wineglass. A few young warriors standing nearby gave her innocent, knowing glances and she decked one in the shoulder as the others erupted into hysterics.

"Yes you did, I remember!" Thor said proudly, smile growing, "And I said, 'Nonononono, you—you go and you ask Loki, because—hahaaha, the lad, he's got a way with hair!" Loki cheeks were reddened, but it most certainly wasn't from embarrassment or flattery as he waved merrily for a refill, chuckling along with the others.

Thor's eyes fell on him and he smiled warmly and offered him his hand. Loki cackled drunkenly and grabbed hold, his brother yanking him onto the table to stand above the crowd with him.

"Brother, I feared today that I would never…never have this, this—the opportunity to share such a…a _grand_ moment with you," he began, speech-like and addressing the crowd rather than his brother. Loki rolled his eyes and, grinning, bent down to grab his mug which had just been refilled.

"But fear you not, Loki of Asgard," he continued mightily, "for no matter what sorts of danger we face, I shall always be here to protect you from harm!"

Loki finished a long gulp and looked his brother directly in the eye, twitching slightly.

"I am no damsel in distress," he said slowly and dramatically, poking Thor in the chest and squinting up at him threateningly.

"You most certainly are," he laughed, grabbing his face in his hands, "and ever shall be my damsel in distress!" And with that, he pulled his brother to his face, planting his lips firmly on his with an elaborately romantic air. Loki was much too drunk to pull away, and he simply stared blankly back at Thor's animated, scrunched up expression.

The guests erupted with drunken cheers and Volstagg laughed harder than he had the entire night, toppling over and taking four men with him.

Thor broke away and slung his arm around his brother's shoulder, Loki smiling dumbly at his side, clearly unaware of what had just occurred. They both raised their mugs in a ridiculous gesture of senseless triumph as the crowd shook their heads in hilarious disbelief.

"By the gods!" someone shouted, "Thor I think you've had quite enough!"

"I'll say when I've had enough!" he yelled back quickly, looking slightly crazy and kissing the side of Loki's head in defiance, another round of applause thundering from his friends.

Volstagg recovered from his fall and stood up, clearing his throat and trying not to break down into hysterics all over again, "That's it young lads, your victory has been celebrated! Your father will have me banished if he ever finds out how ridiculously drunk you were tonight!"

"Nonsense," Thor roared, eyebrow quirking up with mischief, "I don't even feel…I'm most certainly…" His head lolled sideways, knocking into Loki's.

"I've only just be…begun…Loki…," he beckoned his brother, trying to fight the spots in his eyes.

"You're…ehehehh…such stupid…" Loki sniggered, blinking dumbly, trying to keep his brother's face in focus.

They both exchanged intoxicated grins before toppling over onto the table.

* * *

_Thor saw it all in slow motion…Loki raising his sword the strike at the beast…only to have it smacked fiercely from his hand by one of its tails…realization spread across his features, terror building in his brilliant green eyes…he stumbled backwards and fell, landing against the cavern's wall as the creature opened its jaws wide, a horrid screech ripping from its throat and blowing back Loki's hair…_

_He couldn't act fast enough, his legs were pounding the ground, trying to make it to his brother…he was so far away…_

"_LOKI!"_

_His brother's arms were raised in defense, pure reflex as the monster's jaws rippled back, preparing to devour him. He glanced in Thor's direction, eyes pleading and frightened._

"_LOKI, NO!"_

_Thor tried to throw his weapon, tried to leap towards his brother, tried desperately to cover the distance between them, throw himself in front of him, tried to grab at his brother's armor and rip him away, tried, tried, tried…_

_His arm outstretched, crying out his brother's name, fury and rage and panic clouding his senses from all else around him…it was just Loki, huddled, frightened, in danger, needing him…_

_The razor-sharp teeth closed around his brother…and Thor watched in terror as it ripped him limb from limb, viciously shredding his brother…his beloved brother…_

"LOKI!"

Thor's vicious and desperate cry rang out against the stone walls of his bed chambers. His body wrenched out of bed and tumbled to the floor. He stood frantically, arms at the ready, fists clenched and wheeled around in confusion.

All the sudden movement made his head spin violently, and his vision went black, sending him crumpling to the floor once again.

"Rrgghrrhgh," he growled, blinking and angrily commanding his eyes to adjust to the dark around him. He grabbed the edge of the bed, pulling himself up dizzily and focusing on the rug on the floor.

Once he had regained his sight, he glanced around, heart beginning to slow as he took in his familiar surroundings…his deep red sheets…his bed…the windows in all the correct places…the washroom door…he sighed in relief.

When he closed his eyes again though, the scene from his nightmare flashed in his mind and they shot back open. He wheeled to face his bed and the tangled sheets there, and he began tearing them off in a panic, searching for his brother.

When he didn't find him, he climbed over his bed, towards Loki's, clumsily thudding to the floor as he did. He hauled himself up over the edge of Loki's green bed, and pulled and patted desperately among the covers, fingers pleading for the touch of his brother's skin or the feel of his body under the blankets.

He felt only an empty bed and a choked sob escaped him.

"_What happened…I can't remember…did I let him die?_" Thor thought, trying desperately to remember anything but the nightmare's feverish horror.

Something sparked against the fuzzy chaos of his thoughts, and he saw his brother's face in his hands, smiling stupidly. Another small sob broke as he clung to the memory, begging it to be true. It was, he decided desperately, it had to be, it was so vivid, so fresh, and he mentally clutched it, refusing to let its image fade.

He stood up determinedly, making his way towards their washroom. He'd check every last room in the castle before he even considered believing his brother was gone.

He wrenched the door open, glancing around hurriedly and taking a few steps inside. He peered into the brass tub, checked the closet, glanced under the sink, and in the corners. His heart thumped harder, but he stubbornly ignored it and headed for their study, repeating the memory in his mind, memorizing his brother's face in his hands.

He opened both doors loudly and stalked into the room, checking every bookcase for his brother, hoping to find him perusing his vast collections, nose buried in some spell book.

"Loki," he called loudly as he checked under the desks and on the lavish sofas, "Loki where are you, you bastard?"

He kicked a chair into a shelf, sending books and novels and journals crashing to the ground. He watched them, heaving with anger and staring at the pile with suppressed panic. As the last few books toppled to join the rest, awkward and slow to fall, he heard a soft and muffled groan. His head whipped up, eyes locking on the direction of the sound: the balcony. He'd forgotten all about the damned balcony, he hardly ever went out there.

He stumbled towards the small staircase at the back of the study, tripping over books as he went. He hurriedly kicked the two glass doors open, cracking one of them, and exploded onto the stone landing, kicking a page of paper from his foot.

The night air clung to his cold sweat, chilling him as his eyes adjusted to the dim moonlight and sought out his brother.

"Loki," he shouted again.

And then he saw him: he was lying flat on his back, near the elaborate stone railing, arms and legs outspread as if he were playing in the snow. Thor heard his heart break with relief.

"Loki, what the hell are you doing out here, you bastard, you scared me more than half to death," Thor rushed to his brother's side, dropping to his knees and inspecting him closely.

"Loki," he spoke, patting his brother's cheek, "Loki wake up, you're on the balcony, you idiot." He was almost angry at him for wandering drunk up onto _the balcony_ of all places, where he could've very well fallen to his death. _"The fool, what on earth is so alluring about a balcony?"_

Loki groaned miserably at Thor's attempt to wake him.

"Thooorrrrrrr," he drawled, "Have at you!" He swung limply at his brother's face. Thor smiled down at him. "What have you done to me…?" he grumbled, accusing.

"I've made you a man, brother."

"I don't…I don't want to be a man anymore…I want to die."

"Well then, I suppose I'll have to carry you like the lady you are, back to your bed?"

"_I'm going to kill you._"

He lifted his brother up, his head lolling and complaining all the while, tiny whimpers and pained groans with every step Thor carried him.

"The absolute….worst night…I've thrown up my entire…Thor…I'll get you for this…you sneaking bastard…you'll wish you'd…never been born, you…buffoon…"

Thor placed him on his bed, ignoring his bitter mumbling.

"Loki," he hushed him, placing a hand on his cheek, "I thought you'd been eaten. I had a dream...I thought I'd never…today, when you almost died…I was so worried I wouldn't make it in time…" He couldn't help the words, so uncertain and longing; he just suddenly felt as if he should express how worried he'd been, how relieved he was now, how lovely his brother looked, how great it was to see him safe.

Loki wasn't listening, just drunkenly tossing his head to and fro on his pillow, fading into sleep and whispering incoherently. Thor's expression grew pained as he watched him, a lump rising in his throat. He blinked back tears and stared at Loki, listening to him mumble threats and promises to end his life when he regained consciousness, listening to every beautiful word and sound, studying every beautiful expression and movement. The relief and love that flooded him was almost as crushing as his previous panic had been.

"Damn you," Thor whispered, a few tears leaking down his cheeks, "You precious, perfect creature." He stopped him from his dazed tossing, gently cupping his face and softly pressed his lips to his.

Loki blinked idly, the sensation of something gentle on his lips hardly registering amongst the raging and rushing in his head. It was warm, comforting and he primitively sought it out with his own lips, hoping to drown the dizziness that refused to loosen its grip on him. He was vaguely delighted when his movement earned him another flood of warmth, this time on his torso.

Thor's head was spinning at the feel of his brother's lips moving back against his, he couldn't think of what was right or wrong or why or how it was happening; he could only press his hand possessively, protectively on his brother's chest and push deeper against his lazy lips. He was too tired to question his actions; his head ached too painfully to pull away from the wonderful sensation. He breathed heavily through his nose and Loki hummed delicately, a hand coming to rest on the one placed on his chest.

And then he suddenly broke away and stood up, a new impulse blossoming in his heart.

"Mmphrph," Loki grumbled, his expression turning sour at the sudden retreat.

"Loki," Thor said firmly, "Loki, open your eyes and look at me."

His brother mumbled something incoherent and tried to turn over on his side, but Thor grabbed him and pinned him to the bed by his shoulders.

"Loki, look at me," he commanded.

He groaned, annoyed and upset at the sudden lack of warmth and the loud voice now echoing against the tortured walls of his mind.

"What?" he hissed, an eye creaking open and regarding his brother's bright blue eyes with a familiar irritation.

"I love you, brother."

Loki squinted up at him, not quite comprehending why he'd been woken up for this simple declaration. But still the blue orbs burned back at him with anticipation, watching him expectantly.

"You're acting strange...," he mumbled, cocking an eyebrow at his brother, a confused frown on his face. His eyes were still squinted from the sting of the cool night air; he looked very much like a grumpy old man. Thor blinked back at him, breath deserting him as he smiled disappointingly.

"My apologies, brother."

"Mmhgph..."

He leaned in and pecked his brother's forehead.

"Sleep."

"Mmgh…"

* * *

The next morning found the two brother princes of Asgard racing along the stone hallways of the castle, Thor fleeing for his life and Loki furiously attempting to end it, to the joyous sounds of hilarious cheering and the hysterical calls of, "Look out, here comes Thor and his 'damsel'!"

Thor smiled wildly and raised his fists with triumph to Volstagg as he rounded a corner. His friend laughed and shouted, "Run lad, she's hot on your tail!" Loki skidded past him a moment later, his lean frame hitting the stone wall and scrambling angrily after his brother, growling and cursing loudly.

"Thor, I'm going to throttle you 'till your _eyes_ bleed!" Loki roared after him.

"Come now, my love," Thor shouted back to him as he thundered past their mother and a group of courtly ladies who stopped abruptly at his endearing tone, "You weren't complaining last night!" The queen's eyes popped out of her head and a small, surprised 'oh!' escaped her lips as her gaze followed the golden prince's trail. She did a double-take in the direction Thor had come from, only to narrowly avoid getting plowed over by her younger son who sprinted nimbly after him.

"Boys!" she called, utterly confused, "Boys please, slow down! You're going to get someone killed!"

"I plan on it!" Loki screamed as he raced around the corner in hot pursuit.

She shook her head and smiled at the place where they'd just disappeared.

"Ah, my apologies, dear friends, they're only silly childr—," Frigg was cut off by the sound of shattering glass and a frustrated screech, followed soon after by thunderous laughter and applause. Her eye twitched, her lips pursed as she continued to stare at her curious and frightened guests.

She sighed, turning on her heel with a polite, "If you'll excuse me," and briskly set off towards the commotion.

"ODIN," she called out, "Odin, dearest, please come at once! Our boys are trying to bring the walls down on us!"

* * *

((Notes: Alrighty guys, here's the next ramble, hope everyone enjoys it! I had a lot of fun writing this bit. :D Read and review, feel free to let me know if you guys have any suggestions for further chapters :] Enjoy!))


	4. Chapter 4

((Sorry for the long absence! My family and I just took a great week-long vacation to the mountains, so it's been really nice to have a break and experience all the natural beauty! Definitely inspired by all the mountains and creeks! Anyways, here's the next chapter and I just wanted to thank everyone who's showed an interest in this crazy collection of ramblings! Thank you so much for your reviews and I hope I don't disappoint ^u^ Enjoy!))

"Brother…Loki…wake up!"

"Mphf, Thor, stop it—quit!"

Thor shook his brother by his shoulders and began pulling at his wild dark hair when he didn't open his eyes.

"Come o—n, Loki! I have an idea!"

Loki heaved a sigh and peeked over his shoulder at his brother whose wild blue eyes were alight with rebellion and adventure.

"What sort of idea?"

"Let's sneak out to the stables and steal one of father's steeds! And we can take a ride in the woods, in the dark of night," he stood up on the bed and waved one arm around as if he were swinging a sword, "and valiantly slay all in our path! Who knows what kinds of monsters lurk in the forest? I'll bet we could take on at least forty—."

"Thor, it's the middle of the _night_," Loki hissed, annoyed by his brother's excitable ramblings, "I don't _want_ to get up and _steal_ one of our father's horses and ride around until we find something large enough to eat us in one _bite_!"

"Oh, don't be such a bore," Thor chuckled as he leapt off the bed and ran clumsily towards their toy room.

"_Nothing_ will be eating either of us," he called quietly from the other room, the sound of rummaging echoed with his voice, "Because _I'll_ be there with my _blade_!" He jumped back into their bedroom brandishing a small, glittering dagger with a ruby infused in the hilt, holding it victoriously into the air.

"Where did you get that," Loki asked, awed and intrigued by his brother's new weapon.

"Father gave it to me," he beamed, "Said it would have to due until I was strong enough to hold a _real _sword!"

Loki's eyes lowered, "…Oh."

"Well, come on, let's get going!"

"I don't think we should, father would be upset."

"He won't even know; we'll be back before the sun rises!"

"Oh yes, I'm sure you've got a strict beast-slaying-schedule all planned out."

Thor sheathed his blade and pounced back onto the bed, hovering over his brother, "Come on, Loki! For once throw caution to the wind, live and act on impulse!" He grinned down wildly at him, the moon's light making his eyes flash with every word he spoke.

Loki hesitated in responding, thinking of his brother's new dagger. Had he done something to offend his father that had caused him to withhold such a gift from his younger son? …Had there even been a special dagger for him to begin with? Perhaps he wasn't meant to have one...perhaps his father didn't think he was worthy of such a dangerous toy, maybe he hadn't proven himself a capable enough warrior.

His brows furrowed and he met Thor's eyes with a fiery determination.

"Alright, let's do it."

Thor leapt off the bed yet again with a triumphant, "Yessss!" Loki hopped off and followed his brother as they both bolted for the door, hearts pounding with the sensation that the night always brings to young children. The feeling of breaking routine; to get out of bed and continue the day's adventures in a dark world previously feared and unknown to those who shut their eyes and wait for the morning sun's light.

Thor skidded to a halt at their bedchamber doors, and his brother, eyes not yet adjusted fully to the dark and head still spinning with the sudden emergence from their bed, clumsily bumped into him.

"Sh!" he hushed, grabbing one of the large golden handles and pulling as slowly as he could to peek out into the stone and marble corridor.

"Sorry," Loki whispered apologetically, arching on his toes to glimpse the hallway over his brother's head of unruly blonde hair.

Two bright eyes peeped from the small crack in the prince's chamber doors, a piercing blue and a glinting green, both nervously analyzing the terrain of the dark outside world before taking their first official step of rebellion.

Loki had a sudden thought and he stepped back, "But, Thor, should we—should we bring our boots?" Thor quickly turned around and held a finger to his mouth and nodded hurriedly. They both retrieved their boots from the washroom, leaving the doors slightly ajar.

Thor plopped down near the thin stream of light and began to pull one of his leather shoes on, but Loki grabbed his hand.

"Wait till we get outside, so we don't make any noise. The hallways echo a lot, it'll be bad enough without them on."

Thor gave a small and whispery, "Ohhh," and nodded to his brother, patting him on the shoulder for his clever contribution to the mission.

"Good thinking, brother," he said quietly as he returned to the crack in the door, boots in one hand, Loki's shoulder in the other.

"Alright, I think the coast is clear," he whispered.

They both pulled the door open as far as they dared, halting with animated expressions of fear and panic when it gave a resonating _CREEEEAAAK_. They paused for a moment, listening intently to the empty hallway for sounds of alarm. When none reached their ears, Thor pulled it open just a tad more and squeezed himself through. Loki followed suit and they both set out towards the stables, unable to wipe the grins from their eager and young faces.

Their bare feet padded against the marble floors, making small little _plap slpap plap_ sounds that echoed silently against the walls of the palace as they snuck to their father's stables. Thor was just a tad ahead of Loki as they silently sprinted onward, a look of focused importance and leadership plastered on those golden features of his. His younger brother stole a glance at him, taking in his sharp blue eyes as they scanned the corridors for inhabitants, his thick blonde hair that had started to curl along the length of his neck…he was beautiful; the crown jewel of Asgardian royalty and the shining firstborn of Odin…the favorite, the perfect, the worthy.

Loki returned his gaze forward, a frown gracing his pale lips, and thought of all the times Thor had taken their father's affection for granted. Several times the younger son had bitterly watched as Thor had complained to and argued with their father; Loki begged for the chance to show he would never gripe, he would never defy his father, his king. He was a good son, he could be even better than his brother, he could show their father if he'd just let him try. He knew the importance of their father's words, his wisdom of his advice, when Thor rolled his eyes and gazed out the window, day-dreaming of battle. He knew somewhere deep in his heart that his father loved him equally, loved him every bit as much as he loved Thor…but there was something behind it all, some sort of barrier that kept him from having even the slightest chance of earning the throne.

"Brother, wait!" Thor hissed, grabbing Loki round the waist as he sprinted past him, lost in his thoughts. He pulled him back round the corner and tightened his arms around him as he peeped over his head and scoped out the courtyard for royal guards. There were four guarding the enormous fountain with the statue of Odin holding the royal staff in his hand, one foot forward, gazing out with an air of intimidation and righteousness. Thor ducked back behind the marble edge and grabbed Loki's shoulder, "Agh there's quite a few out there, I don't know if we can sneak past."

Loki, his mind somewhere else, ducked under his brother's arms and glanced at the fountain, heart-panging with guilt as he glimpsed the stone rendition of his father's gaze.

"There's too many, we'd be spotted before we got half way 'cross the courtyard…follow me," he whispered, and he carefully backtracked and darted down another marble corridor. The torch lights cast odd shadows on their retreating forms as Thor ducked after him and they both quietly snuck down the hallway.

"There's a passage I found, not too long ago," Loki mumbled, "Should be right around this cor..."

He held a finger up to Thor, as he halted in his steps, listening intently to the night and staring intensely at the marble floor in concentration.

Thor quieted and watched Loki carefully, knowing he'd hear anything coming long before he did.

Loki's eyes then suddenly popped out of their sockets and he frantically grabbed Thor's tunic and yanked him into a nearby broom closet of sorts, managing to close the door with a soft _click_ just as a guard came around the corner.

The closet was a tight squeeze and Thor pushed his brother behind him instinctively, turning to face the door with a dramatic bravery as if a beast were about to burst through the wood and claim them both as midnight snacks.

Loki rolled his eyes and grabbed his shoulder, pulling him down amongst the low shelves. They both squatted there and kept their breathing still and waiting with practiced patience. Loki peeped over his brother's shoulder and watched in mild terror as the shadows of the guard's feet crept past the door, casting shadows on his wide green eyes.

Thor was watching his brother intently, and Loki did not meet his gaze until the guard had passed. After the shadows slunk away, he gave his brother a small smile and the golden prince returned his grin and nodded to him in thanks. They waited a few moments longer, until the sound of the guard's boots faded into the distance.

The older brother cracked the door open just a bit and peeped out, scanning and searching the empty hall for any sign of the guard. When he saw nothing, he opened it a tad more and they both slipped out and Thor fell into step behind Loki once again.

A few turns later, Loki stopped in front of an enormous tapestry of golds and reds and blues. It was a vivid depiction of the Asgardian Royal Palace and Loki had often stopped to admire its glittering colors and strikingly realistic stitches, so often that he'd discovered the small secret tunnel concealed behind it.

Loki grinned at his brother, and lifted the tapestry's rough carpet-like edge and slipped behind it, beckoning Thor after him.

Thor impatiently scuttled after him and when his brother pointed proudly at the small circular hole in the wall, he gaped in awe, blue eyes lighting up with glee and amazement.

"Wo—oah."

"Well come on, we haven't got all night."

The younger brother gracefully pulled himself up and crawled forward. Thor scrambled after him, unable to wipe the adventurous and excited smile from his lips.

"Loki, this is—the most, it's so exciting—how did you even," he babbled while they both crawled along the stone base of the tunnel.

"Sh! Thor, keep your voice down," he hissed, "I just happened to stumble upon it one day, it leads out near the back door of the kitchen, the stables are—."

"Just around the corner!" his brother finished enthusiastically.

* * *

After they'd pulled their boots on in the stables, they both crept as quietly as they good along the magnificent stalls, each home to the noble steeds of their father.

"Which ones?" Loki asked.

"_Only_ one," Thor corrected, "don't want to push our luck." He winked over at him as he peeped over one of the stall doors.

"Only _one_?" he griped loudly.

"Sshhh!"

"That's ridiculous, Thor! I want my own horse!"

"Loki, hush! You'll wake up everyone in the palace."

"But why only one?"

"I told you, I don't want to push our luck." Thor seemed quite decided on the matter, and calmly went about observing the horses, ignoring any of Loki's further complaints. His younger brother sighed dramatically and trudged ahead of him, kicking at stray clumps of hay and muttering to himself.

"This one," Thor whispered suddenly, stopping in front of one particular stall door. Loki backtracked and joined his brother, and they both peeped over the edge to observe its inhabitant. There stood a majestic chestnut colored mare, contently nibbling from her trough.

"Alright…well, let's get on with it then."

Thor clicked his tongue and the mare's ears pricked in the brothers' direction. He opened the stall door and strode towards the animal with an air of superiority.

"Careful," Loki cautioned from the stall's entrance. Thor clicked his tongue again and patted the horse merrily, grinning back at his brother, "She's not so bad."

He nodded and joined his brother next to the mare, giving her a soft pat and admiring how tall she seemed.

"Awfully big," he stated plainly.

"We just need a stool or box of sorts," Thor replied, glancing around, "I'll be back, careful the rear."

Loki rolled his eyes, "I'm not an idiot, Thor, I can handle a horse."

"Well she's _awfully big_," came his brother's taunting voice from somewhere outside the stall.

He cast a squinted glare in the direction Thor's voice had come before returning his attention to the horse. He stood at the animal's shoulder; the mare was remarkably tall. Him and Thor were 10 and 11 at the time, so the height was pretty surprising for him. He glanced up at the horse's head, and the large blinking black eyes that were eyeing him every few seconds. He made a soft clicking sound with his tongue and ran his hand up her muscular neck.

"Hey," he cooed, "pretty thing, aren't you?" The horse gave a large and sudden sigh, blinking lazily and she returned to her oats, the sound of her idle chomping echoing soundlessly off the walls. He heard Thor reenter and turned to find him hefting a heavy-looking crate towards him and the mare.

"Theeere we are," he said triumphantly, placing it with a _cla-THUD_ on the stall floor. He eagerly scampered up on top of it and placed his hand on the mare's bare back.

"Aren't we going to need a saddle?" Loki asked, looking quizzically up at his brother.

"Nonsense, heroes have no need for saddles."

"_Reins?_"

"I've got a rope muzzle right here," he drawled, waving his hand around. Indeed there in his clenched fist was a simple rope bridle. "Now come on, we've got to hurry or we'll have no night left."

And with that he leapt up onto the horse's back, landing with a comfortable _paff_. Loki climbed onto the crate and hopped up onto the horse behind his brother as he adjusted the bridle onto the mare's snout.

The animal seemed calm enough, obviously hardly noticing the weight of the two boys on her enormous back.

"Alright," Thor grunted, leaning back with a loop of rope in his hands. And with that he turned the mare left, guided her around the crate and through the door. Her hooves made pleasant little _clackclockclackclackclock_ sounds on the stone floor of the stables, and once they'd reached the doors, Thor gave the mare a small kick and she broke into a slow canter.

Loki clutched to his brother's tunic, glancing around the palace grounds.

"Right, Thor, take a right," he nudged his brother from behind.

"Where's right go to?"

"Mother's garden, there's a way to the forest towards the back, near the fountain with the golden apples on the edges."

"You don't say," Thor laughed, veering the steed right. As he did however, two guards caught sight of them and shouted at them to halt. They looked quite distressed.

"Out of the way, out of the way," Thor laughed madly as they sped past the two armored guards, "No one stops the sons of Odin!" Loki couldn't help but laugh along as they cantered onwards, and he shot the guards a sly smile as they rounded another corner. Their shouts soon were joined by others as the entirety of the royal guard was alerted to their daring escape. The brothers would've been worried that they'd probably just woken up every last one of the palace's inhabitants, had they not been having the time of their young lives trotting around on a horse in the middle of the night through their mother's garden, even as tree branches whacked at their faces and petals got caught in their wide laughing mouths.

"This way," Loki laughed breathlessly, pointing towards a path that disappeared into a large maze of hedges. He effortlessly, and quite free of care, guided them along the maze, having long since memorized the turns and twists and knowing which path led where, and soon they found themselves at the small gurgling fountain with the golden apples perched elegantly on each corner of the framework.

"Right there, behind the apple tree, pull us up next to the wall," he instructed, still chuckling. He felt along the vines that covered the stone wall until his hand gave way and he hurriedly pulled back the thick vegetation. Thor plucked two apples from the tree and tossed one to over his shoulder to Loki, taking a hearty crunch out of his as he guided the horse through the vines and down the narrow stone tunnel, towards the open field at the end of it.

"Hahahaaa, oh their _faces_, I shan't ever forget the sight!" he howled with laughter as the horse carried them further towards the end of the tunnel.

"You've got to know the first thing they thought was, 'Oh gods, Odin's going to have our heads for this'!" Loki crowed.

"'How'd those damned kids sneak out?'" Thor said in a deep, dumb voice.

"'Who was in charge of guarding the stables?'" Loki barked roughly.

They both giggled manically as the mare, sensing the open field ahead, sped up to a steady run. Loki took a delighted bite from his apple and grinned around Thor's shoulder as he chewed, wanting to see what lied ahead.

The end of the tunnel grew larger and larger as they sped onward, the cool still air rushing in their ears and whipping their hair around and into their eyes. Loki grabbed tighter around Thor's waist as they picked up speed. He cast a glance behind him to see if any of the guards had discovered the passage, but it was too dark to tell, and frankly, at this point Loki couldn't have cared less if they were being pursued.

* * *

They rode across the expanse of the field, the gray-green of the grass reflecting the silvery glow of the moon and colliding with the deep, dark sky. Loki sighed happily, taking in the sight of the field, the moon, the brilliant stars…he'd never seen them so vividly before. Thor smiled as well, clinging to the horse's mane and picturing the awe and excitement on his brother's face right now. He wished he could turn around and watch him react to it all, taking it all in, living on the edge with him. This was his true joy: to live wildly and freely alongside his brother, doing as they please, simply enjoying the other's existence and exploring, learning, watching and discovering secrets of the realms together. It was a joy, an honest and sincere feeling and memory that he would cling to centuries later in times of hopelessness and remorse and regret. It would become the one thing, the one truth he lived by: he would never abandon his brother, no matter the consequences.

"There's a path there," Loki shouted over the wind, pointing to the edge of the forest that was growing ever closer to them as the horse sped across the wispy grass.

Thor simply nodded and urged the mare on. They soon sped onto the path and disappeared into the trees.

* * *

An hour or so later, Thor pulled the mare to a stop and slid off, stretching and flexing his sore legs. They had ended up at a small creek somewhere in the depths of the woods, and the moonlight flickered on the water's moving surface as it gurgled over the smooth stones. He turned back to his brother and offered his hand to help him off, but Loki was already swinging off the horse and landing next to him with his familiar nimble grace. He gave Thor a strange look when he saw his hand still outstretched and patted the horse fondly.

"You think she's thirsty?" he asked. Thor shrugged and smiled, walking down to the water's edge and clicking his tongue as he went. The horse gave a small whiny and trudged after him, sniffing at the creek as she came up beside the golden prince. Loki joined his two companions and sat down next to Thor just as mare dipped her muzzle into the cool water and began to drink. Thor smiled and plopped down next to his brother and they sat there, watching the horse and listening to the sound of her gulps.

"Well I don't know about you, brother," Loki sighed, pulling his boots off, "But I think this beats slaying monsters." He pulled up his pants and let his feet splash into the creek's edge and leaned back on his arms.

"The night's not over yet, Loki, there's bound to be at least one beast worth besting," he chuckled, following Loki's lead and yanking off his boots. He stretched his toes as the cold water splashed over them and sighed contently. "But, I admit, this isn't so bad."

After a while though, as was expected, Thor became bored and suddenly sprang to his feet, startling his brother and the horse out of their sleepy daze.

"Come on, Loki, let's have a wrestle in the creek!"

"I don't want to get wet."

"Aww you're no fun, come on, see if you can knock me over!"

"I don't want to _fight_, Thor, I don't enjoy _fighting_, why do we always have to beat the stuffing out of each other for you to have a good time?"

Thor huffed impatiently from his stance in the creek, the water gurgling around his calves. He cast a frown into the water's glimmering surface.

Loki's eyebrow twitched with irritated guilt and he sighed.

"That new dagger of yours, what can you do with it?"

Thor's eyes immediately sparked with delight and he grinned, "Want to see?"

Loki shrugged from the bank, knowing Thor loved boasting and showing off his 'skills' with weapons. "Sure, why not?"

Thor yanked the blade from its sheath and held it up to his face in the moonlight, admiring the glimmer of the ruby hilt and turning it this way and that so that its sparkle caught Loki's eye multiple times.

"Father said the trick to a small blade like this," Thor began as-a-matter-of-factly, "is to keep a strong stance and to be quick and sure with your jabs. It's small so it won't do much damage, which is why you've got to know the proper points of weakness, and be prepared to give them a good stab as soon as possible."

Loki watched his brother ramble on from the bank, burning with jealousy and annoyance at how enthusiastic he was, how he thrust it around like an oaf, pretending to be strong and brave when he couldn't even sleep in his own bed at night. He suddenly stood and Thor halted mid-stab.

"You know I've been learning some very interesting things about conjuring spells," Loki said as he approached Thor in the middle of the creek.

"Yeah?" Thor asked, "What sorts of things?"

"I'll show you, lend me your blade for a second." Thor sheathed the blade and tossed it to his brother. He watched as Loki pulled it out and examined it closely, his green eyes studying each jewel and curve and design.

He tossed it back to Thor and closed his eyes, a concentration pulling his brows together. He held his hands out about the length of the dagger and mumbled something Thor didn't hear over the sound of the water.

And then suddenly a soft green glow emanated from both of his outstretched hands and a small beam of light extended from the palms of his hands and met in the middle. Thor's eyes shot open and he watched in awe as the light slowly took on the shape of his dagger; the hilt, the blade, even the ruby and the small golden designs in the metalwork. Loki sighed and his eyes fluttered open.

He glanced down and held up the exact replica of Thor's dagger, giving him a smirk.

"Neat, huh?"

"Neat?" Thor rushed to Loki's side to admire the magic, "That's spectacular! It looks just like mine! How did you _do _that?" He continued gushing over the copy of his blade, patting his brother on the back and asking if he could hold it and holding his own blade up to it in admiration.

"Well it is only a replica," Loki smiled shyly, "so if you try to…well…" He grabbed the dagger suddenly in his hands and thrust it at Thor's abdomen. He cried out in surprise and fear, only to find that the dagger had simply sunk right through him, as if it were made of air.

He sat there breathing heavily and staring down at his gut where the dagger was, slowly comprehending that he felt no pain and that his brother had in fact _not_ just stabbed him with a magic dagger.

"By the _Nine_, Loki," he breathed, eyes wide, "You scared the living daylights out of me!"

Loki cackled and held the blade up with a sly smile.

"Just a bit of fun," he chuckled.

"Fun indeed," Thor mumbled, feeling a little shaky.

Loki snapped his fingers and blade disintegrated into a small cloud of green smoke. Thor watched them small wisps slowly fade away into the breeze and sighed, heart still pounding from the shock of being not-stabbed.

"Well we should probably be heading back soon," the blonde sighed, glancing at the sky.

"A wise decision, my son."

The boys were so startled by their father's voice that they yelped out loud and Thor almost slipped and fell into the water. He grabbed Loki's shoulder for support and they both whirled around clumsily. There on the bank, stroking the mare's neck, stood their father…tall and proud, golden armor glittering in the moonlight. Thor's eyes were wide with fear, Loki's even more so, as one giant hand beckoned them to shore.

Thor shot a sideways glance at his brother and straightened his shoulders. Loki's eyes were downcast and he shyly fell into step behind his brother as they both made their way towards the bank where their father stood. Before they'd even reached the shore, Thor stopped in the creek and Loki bumped into him.

"Father," he began dramatically, "I just want you to know, that it was all my idea. I snuck out and I stole the horse, and I made Loki come with me." Loki gave him a quizzical look and looked from him to Odin from behind his brother's shoulder.

"Oh I don't doubt it," their father chuckled, "I know this one's always been your favorite." He patted the horse's neck and realization hit Loki.

"Only one, indeed," Loki hissed to him and Thor smiled proudly at him. _"Always the hero,"_ Loki thought, smiling a little.

"Though I don't think you would've succeeded in making it out of the palace without your brother's help." Thor looked surprised and glanced at his brother apologetically.

"Come here," Odin commanded, a smile warming his features. Thor marched forward and Loki followed and they both stood before their father as he knelt down on one knee so that he was level with them.

"You boys will be the death of me," he smiled, "Bless your restless souls. You've worried your mother sick, to the point of tears." The boys' expressions were immediately shamed and guilty, Loki's especially.

"You've left the palace in a ruckus, you've worried your mother and I, and you could've gotten yourselves killed."

"But father I—."

"Thor, now is not the time for your excuses. There are times when a prince must know when he is in the wrong, and have the dignity to apologize for his actions. That goes for both of you."

The golden prince quieted and lowered his head. He nodded sullenly and he and Loki both mumbled their apologies.

"Loki…"

The younger prince looked up, shameful tears pricking at his eyes as he obediently awaited the scolding that was surely in store for him. His father reached out and put a hand on his shoulder, an amused grin breaking across his face.

"You simply must tell me how you managed to sneak your brother _and_ a horse out of the castle, with the entire guard hot on your tails."

Thor sniggered and covered his mouth with his hand and Loki blinked back at their father's smile, confused and shocked.

"He's marvelous father," Thor laughed, "He was so clever, didn't even hesitate, he knew exactly where to go!" Loki smiled a little and his cheeks reddened, embarrassed by the sudden spotlight.

"I can show you if you'd like," he beamed back at his father as he got off his knee and stood.

"You know," Odin smiled, patting both of his sons on their heads and ruffling their hair, "I think I'll let you keep the knowledge to yourselves. It'll be your special secret, just don't tell your mother." They both grinned at each other excitedly.

"And you don't ever use them to sneak out during the night again," he added.

He chuckled when the two small "Awwww"'s sounded from behind him as he led the mare away back towards the forest path.

"Come now, you still have to apologize to your poor mother, you're lucky she didn't fall over dead from the shock."

* * *

Back at the palace, Odin watched as his wife and queen embraced their children, small tears in the corner of her eyes, and chuckled when she scolded them both for their reckless actions. He watched their faces…how different they both were, but how inseparable they'd become. Loki's shamed eyes and Thor's regretful frown, as their mother wagged her finger at them disapprovingly; they were brothers in every sense of the word. And Odin realized in that moment that they would always share that connection, no matter the circumstances; Thor and Loki were brothers, not in blood, but in spirit and heart.

As the boys nodded and hugged their mother goodnight, he approached them and knelt again before his sons.

"Now then," he smiled, "Good night boys, and I mean it." Thor grinned slyly and Loki nodded to him obediently, shooting Thor a small smile.

"Oh and Loki," the king said, reaching to his belt, "I almost forgot, I've got something for you." Loki's eyes lit up with awe as his father retrieved a small silver dagger and presented it to him. Thor's eyes popped and he smiled widely at his brother, who was now hesitantly holding out his hands to accept the gift.

"I know I shouldn't be rewarding you two after such a wild night," he added after a skeptical look from the queen, "but Thor's already got his, so it's only fair." He spoke more to his wife than he did his children, giving her an 'and that's-that' look. Loki grasped his thin pale fingers around the dagger and examined the hilt, eyes lighting up when they the brilliant emerald there winked back at him.

"Thank you, father." He beamed up at his father and embraced him quite suddenly. Thor leapt in behind him and he wrapped his arms around his children, glad to see them safe and happy and together.

"Alright," he grunted, giving them both one more squeeze, "Off to bed with you both." They grinned up at him and their mother ruffled their hair as she herded them off towards the door.

"Yes, and I'll personally escort you to see that you actually _get in bed_."

Odin watched as the boys were led out the door, sniggering and grinning, and caught Loki's green-eyed gaze as they went. He winked at him and smiled just before the door shut behind them.

"Mother, did you know Loki can make _knives_!" he heard Thor's excited cry sound from the hallway, soon followed by an exasperated groan from the queen.

Odin smiled and sighed, "My boys, what am I going to do with you?"

((Note: I felt kinda bad for making Odin seem like a douche father in earlier chapters, because I honestly don't think he's a bad dad. I kind of wanted to help establish him as a loving father in this ramble, and hopefully I'll get to incorporate him into later chapters as well! Again, thanks to all those who've reviewed the story so far and I really hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!))


	5. Chapter 5

((This one's kinda short, but I had to write a quick little blurb about Thor and Loki meeting for the first time. I always imagined it'd be a really interesting take on their personalities and their relationship as they grew older. ^^ Hope you enjoy!))

"Odin, I…I don't know about this…it could be dangerous…"

"Frigga, please my love, have faith; he's only a baby."

"I know but…but we don't know anything about…couldn't we just…perhaps just a little later, when he's ready?"

Odin held Loki in his arms, all soft and pale skin, tiny fingers restlessly twitching and roaming, latching onto his adopted father's tunic and beard and chest. He looked like a normal, healthy Asgardian baby. He had a soft patch of dark hair that clung to his fragile head, cradled in the arms of the mighty King of Asgard. His wife was biting her nail worriedly, glancing to the crib where their true son sat, waving a small wooden lion carving around happily.

"I'm just not sure if this is what's best for him…for them both."

"Well we'll never know if we keep them separated," Odin smiled back reassuringly at his wife, and she took a deep breath. He approached the crib and his son, Thor, greeted him with a clumsy smile and eagerly gestured with his toy lion, offering him sounds of interest.

"Hello my son," he smiled back down at his boy and placed a gentle hand on his head, "Your mother and I have got quite the surprise for you…"

He presented the young frost giant-turned-Asgardian child to his son, who immediately ceased his playing and stared intently at the new pair of green eyes that flicked around from their perch in his father's arms. He studied him a long time, his bright blue eyes seemingly entranced by the child's presence, no doubt curious and intrigued. Thor had never seen another child.

"This is your brother, Thor," Odin told him, and he quietly leaned down to place the boy in the crib along with his son, "…this is Loki."

Said Loki's eyes filled with tears and he reached up to Odin as he was placed in in the crib next to Thor. He began to cry in soft little hiccups and reached up for his new father's retreated form.

"Sshh, shhh," the king cooed to Loki, offering a finger and stroking his face, "It's alright, look, look here, this is Thor."

Loki clung to his father's finger with his tiny hands, looking up at him with pleading green eyes.

"My, my," Frigga remarked, a mothering look in her eyes, "He certainly is clingy."

"Being left to die alone would make anyone yearn for affection," Odin replied, smiling sadly and stroking Loki's pale cheek again.

"I don't think he even notices Thor," she chuckled lightly, "…Here."

She reached into the crib next to Odin and picked up the chubby blonde prince and placed him closer to their new son, who was preoccupied with Odin's forearm, restlessly grabbing and clutching all over the warm skin.

When Thor was plopped down nearer to him, Loki froze in place and his soft cries quieted. He stared intently back at the other boy, looking completely fascinated and unsure of how to react.

The king and queen watched nervously as Loki's hands slowly lost their grip on Odin's arm, lost in his curious gaze. The king silently removed his arm from the crib and he and his queen stood observing the two children, ready to act if the child from Jotunheim reacted badly to their son's presence. The queen was worrying a strand of her hair, her wide blue eyes flitting from Thor to Loki.

Thor then suddenly made a happy little sound, startling all of them, and held out his toy lion to Loki. The boy looked as if he might cry again, but after a few moments he swatted it out of Thor's hands and they both sat there and stared at the little wooden carving. Suddenly Thor burst into a fit of giggling and picked up the toy again, holding it out to Loki with bright and gleeful eyes.

Loki watched him for a moment before smacking the toy out of his hand again, only to Thor's complete and utter joy as he squealed with entertainment. The queen smiled, her eyes shining with happy tears and squeezed Odin's shoulder with relief. He sighed and leaned back, putting an arm around his wife as they watched their sons repeat the process over and over; Thor chuckling merrily with his perfect laughter, and Loki studying him each time looking rather confused.

And then Loki picked the toy up and held it in his tiny hands, watching Thor's face, and Thor grinned widely back at him, glancing from his brother's face to the toy. Loki shook it around in front of his face and Thor burst into laughter again, quieting when Loki stilled the carving.

Odin watched them closely, enjoying the sight of them together. They looked beautiful, his two boys. Thor all golden and pink with his hearty little laugh, Loki swinging the toy around in different ways, his green eyes lighting up with every chuckle he earned from his brother. He never smiled back, no giggle escaped the boy's lips, but there was no doubt he found Thor's laughter entertaining.

And then suddenly he took the toy and slipped it through the bars of the cradle, letting it fall to the ground with a soft _clack_ sound. Thor looked at the place where the toy had disappeared and then back at Loki, whose eyes were innocent and blinking back at him. The queen reached down to pick up the toy, but Odin stopped her, watching his son's face as he comprehended what had just occurred.

His son abruptly plopped down onto all fours and crawled over to where Loki sat, chubby arms working at a determined pace. He didn't stop, however, he simply continued crawling, face down, until his head met Loki's small chest and he quite literally head-butted his new brother over onto his back.

"Oh—Thor, dear," the queen scolded, and Odin chuckled a little, "Don't be such a brute."

Loki let out a frustrated little cry as Thor crawled over and sat next to him and began gently patting his hands on his brother's chest, laughing and smiling up at his parents as he did. The dark-haired boy let out another strained screech and flailed his limbs, but he couldn't get up, not with Thor's hands on him.

Just as Odin was about to help Loki back up, though, Thor glanced down and ceased his little pats, watching the boy with interest. Loki ceased his kicking and squealing and blinked up at his brother, a small frown remaining on his features.

Thor then leaned over his new brother, fat arms outstretched, and rested his head on Loki's torso, babbling a few happy and incomprehensible baby words as he did. Loki didn't move or resist him; in fact the new source of warmth seemed to calm him down quite a bit, and he brought his small little arms up and over Thor's head, his tiny fingers lacing themselves in his curly blonde hair.

The queen let out a small sob, and smiled at her husband, tears rolling down her cheeks and embraced her husband, overwhelmed with joy. Odin held her and smiled tearfully down at his new son, at his sons, at Thor and at Loki. He knew it would be difficult in later years, if he ever need explain the truth to his new son, but that was a bridge he would pass when the time came…he wanted the boy to be happy here, to live here with them and as part of their family. And Loki belonged here, drifting off to sleep along with Thor, tiny hands finally laying still in his golden hair and looking peaceful for the first time since Odin had found him all alone on a cold stone floor.

((Please leave a review! I love reading them and hearing everyone's input :D))


	6. Chapter 6

((Okay. Let me start off by apologizing DEARLY for taking so long with this chapter. I started it out and got busy and didn't get to finish it until weeks later. And then I felt bad for taking so much time already and having only a small chapter to offer, so I went ahead and wrote a larger one. I really hope you guys enjoy this one. Someone requested Thor and Loki exploring the mystery of 'the birds and the bees' and I also got several suggestions I incorporate more Loki magic, so I hope you guys enjoy this one!))

"That can't be true," Thor stammered, his bright blue eyes wide with disgust, "That's…that's vile!"

"It's the truth alright," Fandral smiled devilishly, raking a hand through his golden locks as he chuckled down at the two younger boys, "horses, dogs, cats, pigs, cows, you name it."

The two brother princes of Asgard sat crouched near some steps in one of the castles many courtyards with their older friend, discussing the matter in hushed, almost shamed tones. They had run into Fandral on their way to their combat training early that morning, their conversation taking a strange and unfamiliar turn.

"That's ridiculous," Loki drawled, looking uninterested and smirking at his brother's expression of horrid disbelief, "Oh Thor, would you wipe that pathetic look off your face, you're embarrassing me."

"There's…there's no way that's where…we're not _animals_ though, we've got to have a…a more civilized way of going about…_it_," Thor continued, baffled.

"Aye, you'd think that'd be the case…alas, even we fall prey to our primal instincts." Their friend winked as the prince gaped at his blatant words. Thor's face was completely flushed, the bright red color clashing with his confused turquoise eyes. Although Loki's eyes were lidded in what appeared to be indifference, he was deep in thought; clearly contemplating the validity of Fandral's claim…that or wondering how in the Nine Realms females could enjoy reproducing…or how any of them had ever survived giving birth.

"Ahhh, what do _you_ know," Thor suddenly exclaimed, clearing his throat as he stood, "You're not but a few years older than we are, I doubt you've got any experience to speak for, you blabbering fool."

"I've seen things," Fandral murmured darkly, a handsome glint in his eye as he grinned up at the prince.

"What _sorts_ of things," Loki inquired, his tone that of bored distrust and uneasy suspicion. Thor stood with his arms crossed; one hand rose to his mouth as he nervously chewed on his nail and scanned their surroundings with a stony scowl, pretending not to listen.

"Well I've bloody _witnessed _the act myself," he snapped, attention turning to Loki, "Walked right in on some drunk bastard and his company, and there she was; stark naked on all fours, and he's up and over her like you've seen dogs and the like do it!" The dark haired prince made a noise of disgust, and Thor clenched his fists and glared down at Fandral, frustrated at his blunt obscenity.

"For the love of—Fandral, would you _keep quiet_," he hissed, glancing around once more before squatting down next to his brother, "You don't have to go around preaching what a perverted little _sneak_ you are."

He let out a loud cackle and continued, "Well if you think about it, I mean really, what other places could the lad have stuck it?"

"SSSHHHHHH!" the brothers hushed their friend, eyes wide with panic.

"Well?" he challenged them in a quieter tone.

"Well maybe women have got some special place for it," Loki offered, his face reddening slightly as he did.

"Well that may be, but I've seen men do it too," he added, grin widening, "Same position, all bent over the other, you _know_ there's no place else but his arse."

Loki's brow flicked upwards and his eyes gave a small spark of curiosity. Thor's mouth hung ajar as the words echoed in his head.

"N-no kidding," he said slowly, "You mean to tell me you've seen two _men_…?"

"'Course I have," the boy said superiorly, "Seen women do it too, don't even ask me how _that _works, 'cause I haven't the foggiest."

"Boys!"

They all three of them cried out in terror as the queen's voice sounded from somewhere along the hallways. Fandral laughed nervously as Loki and Thor attempted to catch their breath and steady their racing hearts.

"Well uh…I guess we'll see you later, Fandral," Thor stuttered, standing up and pulling Loki with him. Their friend stood as well and gave them a clever wink before leaping between two of the pillars and into the marble hallway, his footsteps echoing lightly as he took off down the corridor. Thor and Loki turned to see their mother approaching them from the other end of the small courtyard and they waved sheepishly back at her.

"There you are," she called, a quizzical look adorning her queenly features, "Where have you been all morning? You're both going to be late for your combat lessons, honestly you boys just run off whenever you feel like it, you've got responsibilities and obligations…" She went on like that until she'd reached them. The queen paused for a minute, taking in their flushed faces and shameful expressions.

An eyebrow cocked upwards and she squinted down at them, "What were you two up to? You both look as if you've got a naughty little secret." Thor's eyes went wide and he opened his mouth to blurt out some desperate and last minute lie, but Loki placed a hand on his shoulder.

"It's just that we got a little lost," the younger prince admitted sheepishly, his innocent expression shining genuinely, "and…well, we were a tad embarrassed to ask for directions."

Thor nodded quickly, and added with great enthusiasm, "I mean…we are _royalty,_ it'd be absurd if we couldn't find our way round our own castle!"

Loki's brow twitched in annoyance.

The queen smiled at her children, "Yes…that _would_ be absurd; which is why I find it difficult to believe. My two sons have had the palace memorized since they were young, and now at the ripe age of 14 their memory abandons them." The younger prince cursed his brother's eager mouth in his head. Thor's smile faltered and he glanced at Loki, who beamed rather awkwardly back at their mother.

"Whatever you two were up to I sure hope it was worth your while," she scolded, a smile tugging at the corner of her red lips, "because your mentor has added on another hour of training for your tardiness." Loki cursed under his breath and Thor's grin widened challengingly.

"Excellent!" he exclaimed, a toothy smile parting his lips. He patted Loki roughly on the shoulder and chuckled, "Well we should probably be off then!"

"Yes, I suppose we should," Loki concurred smoothly, offering his mother another apologetic smile, "Forgive us if we worried you, mother."

"Yes, we do apologize for our prolonged absence," Thor added sincerely and nodded in agreement.

She smiled back at her sons and shook her head, "There will never be a day when your mother does not fret over your well-being. Now go!"

Thor grinned and leapt onto the steps and Loki raced after him, casting one last glance at the queen before he disappeared down the hallway.

* * *

"Fandral's going to pay for _this_," Loki hissed menacingly as he and his brother bolted down the corridors of the Palace of Asgard.

"Well it wasn't all for naught, I'm certainly thinking twice about having any children," Thor groaned, looking a little ill.

"Oh by the _gods_, Thor, you can't have taken that pompous fool _seriously_?"

"Well why shouldn't we? He's older, he knows things," Thor argued, "And I mean, for all my dignity's worth, we've got to learn about these sorts of things sooner or later."

"You mean _you've_ got to learn, I know everything there is to know about the art of love making," Loki quipped, shooting his brother a superior glance.

"Oh you do not," he replied, shoving his shoulder as they ran towards the training grounds, "You know what you've read in _books_. Fandral's actually _seen_ it."

"The eyes can be deceiving, Thor, but books are based on fact," Loki corrected him as-a-matter-of-factly.

"Ah, but are the facts that books are based on not _also_ based on observation?"

"No, they're based on _firsthand_ _experience_ and basic _knowledge_ on the subject."

"Knowledge that has somehow eluded the crown princes of Asgard…honestly, it's embarrassing, we're _royalty_, you'd think someone should be tasked with thoroughly informing us on the matter."

"I'm sure father assumes we'll learn through experience," Loki chuckled.

"Ah yes, and I suppose we'll just grab ourselves two young maidens, hop into bed and …shove our cocks up their rears!" Thor exclaimed, looking flustered and frustrated. Loki exploded into hysterical laughter and halted in his running to lean against a pillar with his arm. Thor slowed down and glanced back at him, looking confused and embarrassed by the topic of discussion.

"Th-Thor that's not," he broke down as a fit of giggles overtook him. Thor's eyes brightened at the sound, realizing his brother was laughing at _him_.

"Well!" Thor cried, smiling back at him expectantly, "What else are we to do?"

Loki slumped further against the column, sliding helplessly down until he lay on cold stone floor, his ribs shaking as his handsome cackle echoed down the hallways. Thor grinned widely down at him, enjoying the genuine sound of his laughter and the sight of him curled up on the floor. Something warm fluttered in his chest and a small laugh escaped him.

"Can you imagine if that's _not_ where we stick it," he chuckled, hoping to draw out more of Loki's laughter, "The look on that poor girl's face!"

Loki rolled over on his back, features pinched together and teeth bared as another round of laughter shook through him. He kicked at his brother's boot with one of his feet, and Thor nudged back at it, leaning over his writhing form.

"Alright, alright, enough of this," he laughed, "You're always reveling in my ignorance." His brother's chuckles faded and he smiled up at him, a funny little look in his eye.

"You're not ignorant Thor," he said simply, the hint of a smile lingering in his green eyes, "…You're just _stupid._"

Thor grabbed him by the front of his tunic and pulled him to his feet.

"At least I don't waste my days in the library reading about love making like a curious _girl_."

"I'd rather be a curious girl than a clueless prince."

"Well you're _both_, now let's get going, shall we?"

* * *

"Loki," barked the instructor, "Quit shying away, you are to use Thor's own strength against him! Keep a sharp eye!"

Thor leapt towards his brother, meaning to tackle him down, but Loki only dodged gracefully out of the way. He cackled lightly at the sound of his brother's frustrated grunt.

"Come now, Loki, we'll never get any experience if you keep eluding me," he panted, a little worn out from taking the offensive for the bulk of the training, "Quit toying with me."

"Fine then, come on, tackle me again," Loki called, "I'll let you hit me this time." Thor's brow twitched and he stood stubbornly, crossing his arms as he did.

"Why don't you attack _me_," he suggested, "I'd like to see you put out some sort of effort." Loki cast a bored and disappointed frown at him.

"Well that's no fun, we both know there's no point in_ that_."

"Training isn't about _fun_," Thor growled, "It is about becoming stronger." He gestured by planting a fist into his other hand.

"You think me weak, Thor?"

"I think you cowardly."

Loki's eyes grew cold as he stared back at his brother, all bronze arms and golden hair, blue orbs burning into him, daring him to step up to his challenge. He hated that look, it made him look so much older; not the clumsy oaf that Loki could easily outwit, but the firstborn heir of Odin. He looked positively dignified, shining with authority; and it was an unspoken truth between the two brothers that Loki would always recognize that authority.

The _manner_ in which this was done, however, was never a pleasant one.

Loki stood to his full height, his shoulders back and his chin tilted up in defiance. He felt something well up inside of him, a sudden cold surged through his veins and his consciousness latched onto the vaguely familiar sensation. His fingertips tingled with power as he circled his brother, who was now crouching back into his fighting stance; arms outspread and prepared for Loki's attack.

He stopped circling him and turned to face him, and he flexed his fingers experimentally, watched them curl and expand as his magic melted and surged through the tissue, building up at the tips and tickling his fingernails. It never ceased to fascinate Loki, how thrilling it was to feel that power surge through him, to rise up from somewhere deep within him and rush to his aid. It was a skill he was determined to master, and, just as Thor had said…training was about becoming stronger.

"Cowardly," Loki mumbled, still staring at his hands, "…How rude, Thor, I'm hurt." He smiled darkly as he glanced up to watch his brother again, taking his own stance as he prepared to strike.

"Prove me wrong," Thor urged him, an excited spark in his eye. He never saw Loki like this, never got to witness his true strength. It was admirable to watch his brother's determination grow, to see the rawness in his eyes, unmasked and open to observation. Thor found it thrilling, mesmerizing even.

Loki's lean muscles coiled and he sprung towards Thor with alarming grace and unnatural speed. Thor knew he couldn't dodge it, so he made to draw back his arm and meet Loki's attack with one of his own. He watched as his brother's green eyes sped closer, and swung just as they flashed before him, only to throw himself off balance when his fist met nothing but air.

He threw out his leg to catch himself, but at an awkward angle, and he immediately scanned the sandy battle ground for any signs of his brother. Just as he steadied himself, another glimmer of green caught his eye and he whirled around just a moment too late. Suddenly a sharp pain exploded in his side and he jerked his head around just in time to see the dark grin on Loki's face before he evaporated into thin air once again.

Thor regained his balance and took another firm stance, awaiting Loki's next assault. He spun around, frantically searching for a glimpse of his brother's tunic, or a flash of his emerald eyes.

Loki continued to pelt him randomly and without warning, appearing here and there, landing powerful blows with his fists and planting firm kicks into Thor's sides. It was driving him insane, he could feel the frustration at the injustice of it all; since when had Loki ever been this quick with his teleporting magics? He threw wild punches and flailed frantically, hoping to hit any part of his brother before he vanished once again. Thor only swung blindly through the air, sometimes only barely missing Loki, feeling the soft touch of his hair brush his knuckles, or the graze of his skin against his.

"Loki, you trickster, quit jumping around and fight—ooffh!" Thor was silenced as a blast of something bright and green hit him hard in the abdomen, and he doubled over in pain. He held his ribs and cursed, one squinting eye searching for Loki, waiting for another hit.

There was a soft rush of cool air being displaced as Loki reappeared behind him. Thor caught his breath and listened intently, trying to gauge how near Loki was, and he let out an exaggerated moan of pain.

He could feel Loki's presence close behind him, but he wasn't sure how close. He could be just out of arm's reach, but it was worth another attempt.

He waited just a moment longer, until he was sure he could hear Loki's steady breathing, and then wheeled and leapt blindly towards the sound. Thor grinned when his shoulder connected with Loki's chest and they both hit the ground with a heavy _thud._ He quickly straddled him and pinned his shoulders to the ground with his hands, smiling down at him victoriously.

"Ha-HA, you little _sneak_, it seems you've underestimated me! "

Loki was grinning from underneath him, and before Thor could ask why he looked so smug his brother winked and then pain suddenly exploded on the side of his head. He fell off of Loki onto the ground next to him.

He blinked dizzily and hurriedly attempted to stand again. Loki stood a few feet away…and also lay on the ground next to him. Thor wondered for a moment if the blow to his head had him seeing double, but watched in wonder as the Loki on the ground disappeared, leaving his brother smiling smugly back at him.

"A…a clone, brother?"

Loki disappeared again and Thor felt a foot connect with his upper back, sending him face first into the dirt.

He groaned in annoyance as the pain surged through him, and he growled angrily as he pushed himself up with his arms.

When he did, he found himself staring into a mirror, familiar blue eyes blinking back at him, and he cried out and scrambled backwards in alarm.

The second Thor laughed and leapt onto him, his own strong hands latching onto his shoulders and smiling down at him with a menacing look in his eye.

Thor blinked and panted frantically as he watched blue eyes melt into green and his own likeness faded to reveal his brother's pale features, his dark hair spilling into his eyes. The wave of magic spread over his entire body until there could be no doubt that Loki had Thor pinned to the ground.

"Why, Thor," Loki exclaimed in a sarcastic tone of worry, "you look positively terrified, are you alright?"

Thor simply stared back at his brother as he caught his breath and steadied his heart. Loki leaned closer, devilish smile gleaming in triumph.

"Impressive, eh?"

Thor scowled and squirmed beneath him, trying to break free of his brother's grip. Loki patted his cheek and pinched his nose before standing up and taking a few steps back.

"Impressive indeed," their instructor called, and they both started a bit, having forgotten his presence.

"Well I don't think I'd exactly call it _brave_," Thor grunted, leaping to his feet and dusting himself off.

"It was effective," Loki quipped, crossing his arms.

"Loki has learned to use both his strengths and yours to his advantage," the trainer observed, gruff voice echoing to them from the high walls of the training grounds, "Thor you must adapt to your opponent's techniques and overcome their tactics. While training is about becoming stronger, you must also remember that there are many different sorts of strengths. You both must be willing to adapt to and overcome any strength you may face in battle one day."

The two brothers nodded to their instructor, and he nodded back.

"Good. Excellent lesson, I'll see you both same day and time next week," he dismissed them with a bow and strode towards the large arena doors.

As soon as he'd left Thor tackled Loki to the ground and his younger brother cried out in surprise.

"Ackh—Thor—the fight's _over_," he growled as Thor straddled him yet again, this time grabbing his wrists in his hand and pinning them to the ground above his head, "_I won!_"

"You won _this_ time," Thor chuckled, raking his sweaty, sandy fingers through Loki's hair, "I'll have you _flattened_ next week." Loki kicked and thrashed as Thor sprinkled a pinch of sand over his frustrated face.

"PFtft, AGH, STOP IT," he shouted, mouth snapping shut when a few grains of sand trickled onto his tongue, "MFfmffgh!"

Thor laughed heartily and brought his face closer to his brother's. Loki shook his head back and forth, making small snorting sounds and trying to blow the dirt off his face, his features were scrunched and thoroughly displeased.

When Loki squinted up at his brother his expression turned to one of sheer terror. Hovering _far too close_ to his face was a long trail of saliva, dangling from his brother's barely pursed lips as he fought back a smile.

"Thor, THOR STOP, STOP IT—oh gods please no," he whimpered as he tried to sink into the sand, desperately trying to escape his fate. Thor chuckled through his nose, a deep throaty little sound that came in quick little bursts as he fought to control his glee. The string of spit wobbled dangerously above Loki's face, and the pinned brother ceased his squirming and watched it with intent and focused horror.

Thor couldn't get the image out of his mind: Loki on the ground, emerald eyes comically crossed as he watched the saliva dribble even closer to his face, sweat dripping down his jawline.

"I'll kill you, Thor, I will end you slowly and painfully, don't you even _think_—AH, stop! Stop laughing, you'll—!"

He couldn't take it anymore, the look on Loki's face, the way his voice wavered; it was just too damn hilarious. He knew what was about to happen…and it was worth every horrid torture Loki's devious mind could think up.

_Splatt._

Loki's eyes were scrunched from the wet impact, and his mouth was pulled into a furious sort of pout.

"Right between the eyes," Thor whispered, licking his lips.

Loki let out a cry of rage and Thor leapt off him with a panicked excitement, taking off for the doors, Loki already hot on his heels, wiping his face with his forearm and shouting horrible obscenities.

* * *

"Well, dear, I don't _know_ what they were up to, but they've learned their lesson, their instructor added an extra hour to their training," Frigga reassured her husband.

"A suitable punishment for Thor would be an extra hour of study, not _combat training_," Odin sighed, rubbing his temple brow with his thumb and forefinger, "Perhaps I am overly concerned for my sons…but I worry about what sort of mischief they are capable of getting into, even more so when they are together."

Frigga laughed lightly, "Oh Odin, my love, you know how boys their age are. They're bound to get into all _sorts_ of trouble, especially when they've both such bright, young, clever minds."

"Yes…I remember what it was like being a boy of that age," Odin grunted, gazing out over the balcony to their bedchamber, "Which is exactly why I worry about what sort of things they pass their time with."

"Things like bickering over who can reach the apple tree first, or who can carry the most hay bales to the horses, or who would 'in theory, of course' be able to win in a fight to the death?" The queen chuckled and shook her head as she recalled a few of the boys' latest discussions and competitions, much to her own warm amusement.

Odin smiled down at her, taking in her bright smile and long golden hair, "Yes, that sounds about right."

It would've been a warm, touching moment for the King and Queen of Asgard, had a certain foul string of words not suddenly reached their ears, shattering the peaceful air. Odin looked out over the balcony's marble railing, scanning the countless courtyards for the source of obscenities.

"…What has he done _now_?" he groaned when he finally caught sight of his two sons bolting through the gardens, leaping over bushes and dodging through hedges and trees. Loki was furiously throwing bright spheres of light in Thor's direction, and they collided with countless foliage, sending leaves and petals and stems flying off in every direction. There was a clear and definite trail of smoldering holes in the hedge-mazes of the gardens where Loki had chased his brother, only barely missing him several times.

Even from his high balcony, Odin could hear Thor's merry laughter echoing through the cobblestone pathways, and Loki's magic exploding soon after.

"BOYS!" he called angrily, "BOYS CEASE THIS RECKLESS BEHAVIOR AT ONCE!"

Thor halted at the sound of his father's voice; however Loki, so focused on catching his brother, heard him a moment too late and collided into him. They lay in a tangle of limbs on the stone pathway, Loki looking around bewildered and worried for any sign of their father.

"You'll destroy every garden in the palace!" he barked, "What in the Nine Realms are you thinking?"

"Sorry father," Thor called, waving up to his balcony with a cheeky grin, "Just a sporting game of tag!"

Odin did not grace his son's words with a reply, only warned them with a threatening one-eyed glare.

Thor placed a hand on Loki's head, still smiling up at his father, but his brother shoved it away and sat up next to him, casting a shameful and apologetic look to their parents. The queen gave a small wave to them, quickly halting when Odin turned to retreat to his bedchambers. She gave them a knowing smile, wagged a finger, and followed suit.

* * *

"Ahh, _mother_," Thor groaned as he regarded the contents of his dinner plate, glancing around to make sure everyone else had been cursed with the same meal, "You know I _despise_ this foreign atrocity!"

"It's not so bad," Loki chirped, eager to take advantage of his brother stubbornness. He slurped up a mouthful of noodles and smacked his lips appreciatively, "I think it's delicious, mother."

"Well I'm glad you like it so much, Loki," she smiled warmly, "Here, you're more than welcome to seconds." She plopped another helping on his plate and quirked a clever brow at him when he gave her a weak smile in false thanks.

"Agh, why couldn't we have _roast boar_," Thor mourned, his head in his hand, cheek pushed up in a comical stubborn pout, "Juicy, salty, steaming leg of boar…"

"You can't survive on not but meats your whole life Thor," their mother scolded lightly, "It's not good for you, a growing boy of your age needs a variety of nutrients."

"And you must learn to accept some things with gratitude and patience, no matter your opinion of them," Odin added, deep voice layering an air of seriousness over the table and reminding Thor of his place, "A prince must know how to be thankful, even for all he's been given, he must always keep in mind that he is blessed with his fortunate position, and with that position come a number of obligations and responsibilities."

"Ahh, _father_ it's only _dinner_," Thor moaned, "Must you make a lesson out of everything?"

Odin smiled back at him, "I will never pass an opportunity to teach my sons the wisdom that my father taught me, for it is what I am most grateful for. Every king needs to have this knowledge, and if I choose to give it to you over dinner, be mindful and listen carefully."

Thor's lip pulled up into another pout and he poked through the odd assortment of watery noodles, prodding the strange vegetables back and forth throughout the broth with his golden fork.

The family was quiet for a while as they slurped their foreign delicacies. Loki finished his second helping and politely waved his mother's attempt to serve him a third with a panicked smile. Thor grinned at him mockingly as his brother caught his gaze and rolled his eyes in relief. Moments more passed in silence before Thor suddenly spoke out…

"Father, how is it that children are made?"

Odin choked on his broth and swallowed the mouthful of noodles with a startled air, coughing afterwards and reaching for his wine glass, hoping to clear his throat.

"What was that, dear?" Frigga squeaked.

"Children, you know…_babies_, infants, sons and daughters, Loki and I, everyone, where do we come from?" he hurriedly and bravely elaborated on his question, looking both his mother and father in the eye for any sign of hidden knowledge. Frigga stared back at her husband, eyes wide with uncertainty, and Odin met her stare helplessly, his kingly décor quickly abandoning him.

"Well, Thor," Odin started calmly, "You see…well it takes a man and a woman to—"

"Not two men? Or two women?"

The king and queen paused in surprise, shooting worried looks at one another.

"Well…not in Asgard," Odin began, "There are some races whose males _are_ in fact able to bear children, but here in Asgard it is the women who bear the children of their men."

"Like what sorts of races?"

Odin's eyebrow quirked and his eyes flickered to his wife, to Loki, and then back to Thor.

"Well Frost Giants for one," he offered, "Jotunheim males are capable of bearing children."

"Frost Giants," Thor exclaimed in surprise, "Really?"

"Yes, Thor," his father nodded, "Tell me, my son, why is it you wish to know such things so suddenly?"

Thor paused for a moment, contemplating the question, glancing at Loki, who was trying his hardest not to laugh, and then looked back to the king.

"Well, I…I just thought a prince ought to know how to produce heirs," Thor said loudly, gesturing with his hands in disbelief, "It seems as if everyone is fully aware of this phenomenon save Loki and I. I mean, for gods' sakes, we're the crown princes of Asgard."

"Your father and I will be glad to teach you these things when the time is right," Frigga said kindly, "however for the time being, try not to let these concerns cloud your mind. You and Loki are young and should not be burdened with such matters as these."

Odin nodded in approval of his wife's words and Thor went back to picking at his noodles sullenly.

* * *

That night, Thor emerged from the washroom with an angry scowl.

"I just don't understand what's so _secret_ about all this _love making_ nonsense," he cried, exasperated. Loki was in their old playroom-turned-library/study and he smirked at his brother's frustration.

"There is no _secrecy_, Thor," he called, "come in here for a second."

Thor stormed in, towel around his waist, and strode towards Loki. His feet were propped up on a desk and he was reading some old, battered book.

"Here," he offered lightly, snapping his fingers. A leather-bound book flew from the shelf at Loki's command and halted in the air, inches from Thor's face. His round blue eyes studied it for a moment before snatching it out of the air.

"I do not want to _read_, Loki," Thor grumbled, "Reading is _your_ past-time, it will not distract me from my—."

"Oh _Thor_, just _open_ it already," Loki drawled, "Honestly."

Thor glared down at his brother and then at the book in his hand. It had no title, simply two primitive etchings of a male and female on the front. Realization hit him and his eyes went wide.

"Th-this is the book you read," Thor asked, quickly slamming it on the table and throwing it open, "The one about…about…" He trailed off as his eyes became fixated on the page he'd opened to, where an elaborate and detailed drawing was placed neatly between the columns of text.

He blinked at it for a moment, unsure of what it was a drawing _of_. Then slowly, bit by bit, comprehension dawned on him; legs…arms…_naked_ legs and arms…then there…_breasts..._and..._OH.__  
_

His face burned fiercely, he felt as if steam was escaping through his eyes, but he couldn't look away from the page…it was just so…so..._FRANK._

"Th…that's…this is...," he stammered helplessly as his face grew redder by the second.

Loki laughed a humming laugh and peeked over his book at his brother.

"By the _gods_ Thor," he laughed, "You look as though your _skin's _been peeled right off!"

"Sh-shut up! What do you e-expect me to do, I mean," he gestured frantically to the page, finally tearing his eyes from the image, "This is…_THIS IS_…well it's…"

"_It's sex, Thor,_" Loki cried out, laughing as he did, "_Yes_, I'm well aware!"

Thor glared down at him, humiliated, and dared another glance at the page. He studied it for a moment, getting more uncomfortable by the second. The woman 's expression gave him the impression that she wasn't enjoying it...in fact _neither _of them looked like they were enjoying it. Their mouths were open as if they were shouting at each other and the woman looked quite helpless. He glanced at the where the man was entering the woman and he blushed harder, though it seemed impossible at this point. It was a strange...organ? Could he even call it that? It looked like just a mass of folded skin that housed the 'secret place' Loki had 'suggested' women possessed earlier in the day. He winced inwardly at the sight of it...it looked gross.

"Fandral said he'd seen t-two…_men_…"

"Yeah, there's pictures of that too," Loki smirked, "Just keep looking; there's all sorts of interesting drawings in there. You wouldn't _believe_ how many _ways_ people make love. Sometimes I wonder if it's even worth the effort." He scoffed, disappearing behind the enormous dusty book once more.

Thor''s brow twitched in embarrassment as he stared in his brother's direction.

"_How can he take this so lightly_," Thor thought, face reddening at the thought of his brother calmly reading through the book in his hands, cackling merrily as he studied each image. He felt very childish and immature suddenly, so he flipped to another page in a desperate attempt to prove he was fully capable of beholding these ridiculous images.

He found a strange and foreign style of drawing; the lines were fluid and quick, ink spattered strategically throughout the sketching. This time it was two men, although one of them seemed to have some other sort of heritage, as he had horns and scales on his forearms. Nonetheless, it was obvious from their nudity that they were most certainly both male, and Thor bravely attempted to study it carefully without blushing any further. However, the more he analyzed the drawing, the less it seemed foreboding and perverted. He hardly noticed the heat leaving his face as he continued to stare at it, strangely curious about the concept of a man making love to a man. Was this even...acceptable? He wondered briefly if men of Asgard had such inclinations as these...to desire a man's company instead of a woman's. The thought seemed strange and foreign and unlikely.

He studied it for a little while longer before glancing up. He blinked in surprise to find Loki had discarded the book on the table and was now watching him intently.

His blush returned in full force.

"What?" he asked accusingly.

"Find something you like?" he snorted, eyebrow cocked.

"N-…No! Of course not!" Thor tossed the book on the desk and Loki placed his feet back on the ground. He rolled his eyes at his brother, "Calm down I was only kidding."

"Loki this is a strange book indeed," he scolded, "I hope you know I'll never look at you the same whenever you say you've just come from the library."

His brother laughed out loud at that, "I assure you, if I'm in the library I'm brushing up on spells and learning new ways to drive you mad." Thor said nothing, only stood there looking grumpy and embarrassed.

"Well then," he sighed, "I suppose I'll head to bed. I've seen enough blushing maidens for one day." Loki circled the table, shooting Thor a clever smile as he did.

As soon as he was in the doorway to the study, however, he snapped his fingers and Thor's towel soared off his waist and into Loki's hand. He spun around just as Loki disappeared around the corner and he hurriedly pursued.

"Loki you little-!"

As soon as Thor stumbled into the bedroom a sharp stinging sensation erupted on his back with a quick _SNAP_ sound.

"AGH," he wheeled to face the wall, holding his side where he'd been attacked. Loki stood rolling the towel back up with vicious glee.

"Revenge, my brother," he laughed, hitting him again, this time snapping the towel right in his face, "Surely you didn't think I'd forget being spat on." Thor grabbed his nose and retreated towards the washroom, panicked yelps echoing off the walls as he danced and jumped away from Loki's relentless hand-made whip.

"Ah-ah-ah," Loki chided. Thor heard him mumble some strange words in a foreign tongue and the wooden door slammed right as he reached it, colliding painfully with his nose. He fell backwards onto the floor and roared angrily as Loki popped him _hard_ several more times with the towel before he could scramble to his feet and flee towards the bedchamber doors.

He could feel hot welts forming all over his arms and legs, up his back and on his torso and the one on his nose made his face itch.

"DAMMIT LOKI," he shouted, sliding to a late stop and slamming into the large ornate doors, hands fumbling with the handle. Pain exploded all over his back and rear as he hastily struggled to get the door open, and when he finally did he leapt into the hall, wheeling on his heels and ready to take a stand against the assailant.

Except…the door slammed shut and Thor heard the very clear and definite sound of the lock being turned.

He stood there for several moments, comprehending what had just occurred and slowly assessing his current situation.

Suddenly a screech erupted from somewhere down the hall and he jumped comically, frantically flailing his naked limbs. One of the palace servants stood, a stack of neatly folded laundry in her arms, blushing back at the naked prince, eyes wide with shock and embarrassment.

"N-no you don't—," he began apologetically, "I-I'm so sorry, it's just that I-I...!"

He heard Loki cackling like mad from the other side of the doors and he flung himself at them desperately.

"LOKI YOU BASTARD OPEN THE DOORS," he screamed, "THERE'S A…A LADY OUT HERE! I'M NAKED FOR GODS' SAKES!"

"What's that, Thor?" Loki called innocently, "I'm sorry, I can't hear you very well over the sound of me washing _spit _off my face."

"I'M SORRY DAMMIT," Thor shouted, "NOW OPEN THE BLOODY DOORS!"

"I'll be there in just a moment," Loki called, voice sounding distant now, "You just hold tight there brother, try not to catch cold."

Thor blushed profusely and shot another panicked look at the girl who was still frozen in terror.

"Y-you there," he called, pointing to her as if he were picking the girl from a crowd, "H-have you got any towels?"

Tears began to flow down her cheeks and he groaned, "N-no, no, miss, here, just, I was just wondering if you have—."

And then she burst into messy tears, turning and running around the corner from whence she'd came.

Thor growled furiously and slammed his fist into the door.

"LOKI," he called angrily, "LET ME IN, YOU WRETCHED LITTLE SNEAK."

But Thor did not hear from his brother again, and he spent the rest of the night wearing himself out by slamming into and punching the doors repeatedly until he grew too weary to carry on his raging antics. He slumped against the doors, eyelids heavy and body hurting everywhere. He was exhausted.

Loki settled into his bed, smiling and thoroughly pleased with himself.

"Aaahhh," he sighed as he laid back, head sinking into his pillow and whispering, "Good night, Thor."

((Just a quick update guys: I've got a lot of stuff coming up in the next couple of weeks. I just got a job (FINALLY OHGOD I'M SO GLAD) and school isn't too far away. When school hits I'll be pretty busy, this term is gonna be a full plate. BUT. I will try and crank out as many chapters as I can before that comes, I have too many thorki feelings to just drop this, especially when I've been getting so much great feedback from you guys! Thank you all for reading and reviewing, it's really given me encouragement and inspiration! Hope you enjoyed this chapter! The next one I think will be a little more serious and older Thor and Loki.))


	7. Chapter 7

((Okay first thing's first: I AM SO SORRY THIS TOOK FOREVER. Okay. Now go ahead and read this sucker. I do all my pathetic apologizing and explaining at the bottom. LOL! AAGH I FEEL SO BAD *slaps self* Okay okay go read it quick.))

"Oh-ho is that how you remember it, milady?" Loki was all handsome cackles and charming smiles as he splashed playfully at Sif. The brother princes, Lady Sif, and the Warriors Three had stopped at a pool of crystalline water caught between two waterfalls amidst the mountains on their journey home to Asgard. They had just won a gruesome battle against some reptilian monstrosity that had attacked them during the previous night.

"As I recall," Sif replied indignantly, "It was _I_ who decapitated that scaly devil before it could poison you with its dripping fangs!"

"Sif you are blessed with a poet's tongue…," Loki purred, wading closer to her and green eyes alight with charm. Sif crossed her arms as she accepted the compliment silently, a smug smile hinting at the corners of her plump red lips. "…You have a knack for exaggerating."

He cackled when she gave a pleasant little gasp of offense and threw a playful punch at him. He ducked under the water and swam away a few yards before resurfacing and laughing his handsome laugh.

Thor's blue eyes were burning with jealously as he watched them jest, his head locked in the crook of Volstagg's mighty arm. His hands gripped the man's forearm as he struggled to overcome him in their watery wrestle.

"Thor, my lad, you seem a bit distracted! Quit ogling Sif's curves and fight me like a man!" Volstagg laughed and shoved him into the water.

Thor exploded to the surface, arms outstretched and prepared for attack as he assumed his defensive stance. He had that comical look of frustrated determination that often snuck its way onto his tanned features when he lost the upper hand in a brawl; his blue eyes gone wide, his golden brows pulled together, and his bottom lip drawn upwards.

He tossed a frantic glance over his shoulder at his brother and Sif, his heart lurching when he found Sif with her strong thighs wrapped tightly around Loki's back and her arm trapping him in a headlock of her own. He laughed around the strength of her arm and allowed them both to fall backwards into the water.

Thor's jaw exploded in pain and he hit the water again, this time emerging a little more slowly and dizzily.

"Volstagg that is enough," he shouted, trying to sound authoritative. Before he could clear his eyes of water he was lifted by his waist and thrown over Volstagg's shoulder.

"Enough what?" he chortled, spinning him around, "Have a look here, all you Nine Realms, for Thor Odinson has had _enough_! Bested by an old fool drunk on victory!"

"Volstagg release me, you bear of a man!" he cried, desperately trying to catch sight of Loki and Sif again.

Hogun sat at the water's edge looking grim and grumpy, as always. Fandral was laughing gallantly by his side, nudging him and pointing to the sight of Thor being spun around over the shoulder of their wide companion.

"Volstagg stop it, now," he chuckled from the shore, "You'll make the poor boy sick!"

"I am no boy!" Thor cried angrily from atop Volstagg's shoulder, pounding at his back defiantly.

"Yeah you heard the lad," Volstagg shouted, halting in his spinning and tossing Thor into the water yet again, "This here is firstborn Odinson, the Mighty Thor, in all his gleaming glory!" He pointed just as Thor resurfaced and stood, only to tumble clumsily and dazed into the creek once more.

Fandral howled with laughter and even Hogun smirked a little. Sif then appeared at Volstagg's side and jabbed him in the gut with her elbow.

"Oi what's all this then?" she asked, smiling.

"Thor's so distracted by your willowy frame that he can't even seem to muster enough strength to best me in a friendly wrestle," Volstagg exclaimed, mock offense on his rough and rounded features.

Sif's brow twitched and she glared down at him.

"Thor Odinson, I am no common maiden to be doted on and stared at," she scolded him, a threat flashing in her deep blue eyes.

Thor grumbled his apologies as he stood, trying not to look too obvious as he glanced around, casually attempting to locate his brother.

Suddenly a pair of lean arms and legs wrapped themselves around him from behind and tackled him into the shallow water.

When he emerged yet again he was trying to hide his wide grin and ignoring the warm feeling that had bloomed in his chest, "And who has challenged the Mighty Thor now? Am I to take on every last one of you bumbling fools?!" Loki cackled from his back, his arm locking around throat and Sif rolled her eyes, smiling as she did. Thor let out a half-laugh half-frustrated shout as he again plummeted below the water's surface.

"Thor every last one of us could best you in less than five minutes of a wrestle," she laughed.

"Now, now, Sif, you may choose your own battles, but don't go dragging me into this," Fandral called nervously from his comfortable perch in the sand next to Hogun. His friend merely nodded in agreement, eyes distant and bored.

"Oh Fandral, of course, I only meant us _capable_ warriors," Sif shouted playfully. Fandral's pale, blonde brow shot skyward and he grinned handsomely at her, a challenge gleaming in his hazel eyes.

"Alright boys, break it up," Volstagg grunted fatherly as he peeled Loki from Thor's back and slung them both over his shoulders. Make no mistake, Thor and Loki were quite grown, both toned and muscled with the practice of many battles behind them. They were both young men, but Volstagg's incredible girth also came with incredible strength, and he hoisted the princes as if they were frail maidens.

"My friends I think we should be heading home," he called, glancing up at the sky as Thor and Loki squirmed from his shoulders, "It is midday, we should be home by sundown if you princesses don't slow us down." He abruptly dropped the brothers back into the creek and shouted to the others to get a move on.

Thor chuckled and glanced at Loki as they sat there in the water, but his grin immediately faltered. His brother was gazing at him looking rather perturbed, his sharp eyes were studying him and he frowned in the faintest of ways. Thor raised his eyebrows in questioning, but Loki blinked and smirked back at him, shoving his shoulder playfully.

"You heard the barbarian," he called, loudly enough for Volstagg to hear, "Get a move on princess." Volstagg made a motioning with his fingers at his eyes and then to Loki as he trudged towards the other edge of the shallow pool.

Thor blinked back up at him as he took his brother's hand and allowed himself to be helped to his feet. He glanced over Loki's shoulder at Volstagg who was casting a clever grin over his own shoulder back at him. His eyes wandered back to Loki's and he gave him a tiny smile, patting him on the shoulder and making his way in Volstagg's direction. Loki fell into stride beside him and they made to join the Warriors Three and Lady Sif at the opposite shore.

* * *

"Aye, and what a magnificent battle it was," Fandral chuckled to the maidens at his arms, accepting a grape from one of their slender hands, "The other warriors were brave, to be sure, but it was my swift skill with the sword that saved more than half of their lives." The ladies cooed and awed at him, snuggling closer and one planting a sensual kiss on his neck. He quivered and smirked at Thor from across the table. Thor rolled his eyes and grinned as his friend winked at him.

He glanced down the table and the feasting warriors seated at it, Hogun grimly listening to Volstagg's loud, drunken tale-telling, Sif at his side arguing across the table with Fandral, denying every claim he made, and Loki seated directly in front of him, quietly motioning to one of the maids for a refill of wine. Thor watched him for a moment as his brother listened to Sif contradict Fandral continually, occasionally piping in and defending Fandral just to annoy her.

Thor took an enormous bite out of the leg of meat on his plate as he studied his brother. It was bugging him, Loki's playful attitude, the charming little remarks he made to Sif, to any maiden he spoke to. Loki was not like Thor in the way they romanced maidens; Thor had been practically unaware that Loki was so successful in his charming ways until very recently. But he'd picked up on it, the coy smiles and lidded eyes, the silky voice and the graceful, gentle movements. It was strange…frustrating even, to see Loki all genuine smiles and warm, hungry eyes when women were around. It made him teem with jealousy, the way women glanced twice in his brother's direction of late; and it was for good reason, as Loki had grown lean and toned with their battles and training.

He looked rather handsome having now grown into all his sharp features, and his shoulders broad and strong with age. It had come as a surprise to everyone: although Loki had always been a handsome child, it was almost heartbreaking how lovely he looked now; his raven dark hair slicked back, his broad chest and the way it cut down to his thin waist, his long lean legs…no one had expected him to rival Thor's looks with such an opposite beauty.

It now seemed that Loki had noticed all the attention and quickly taken advantage of it, his clever eyes now practiced in the way they smoldered their gaze on Sif.

He was so busy with his thoughts that he hardly noticed Loki's eyes flashing at him as his laughter died down from one of Fandral's comebacks. He blinked, wondering if he had just imagined his brother's quick glance, and then felt ridiculous for staring at him in the first place. He let his eyes wander reluctantly back to his meal and he reached for his mug almost grumpily. Thor chugged the last of his mead and looked questioningly down the table at Volstagg who was motioning quite drunkenly for him to come over.

Thor pushed his chair back and apologized to Sif as she scooted her chair closer to the table for him to slide past. He glanced again at his brother who was now debating whether or not the length of one's arm had anything to do with how well they could hold or swing a blade.

"Well now, while an arm's strength certainly is capable of more growth if it is longer, I don't doubt that two arms of unequal length could quite possibly possess the same strength based on how much training they've put into it," he grinned at Fandral who was glaring at him from behind one of his lovely maiden's golden hair. She was now watching Loki carefully, smiling suggestively at him from under Fandral's arm. Loki shot her a clever smirk and turned his attention to Sif who was nodding in agreement with his reasoning.

"That's exactly my point, Loki," Sif agreed, placing an elbow on the table and pointing to Fandral, "In which case the length of my arm makes no difference, your training is obviously far less than mine. My arm is most certainly much stronger than yours!"

"Now, milady," Fandral crowed indignantly, tightening his arm around the maiden closest to Loki, "Just because I haven't been spotted in the arena in several days does _not_ mean that I haven't been engaging in other productive and…_strengthening_ pursuits." He finished coyly, leaning back into the two giggling girls around him. Loki quirked his brow and smiled.

"Yes, Lady Sif, is it not obvious Fandral has been training faithfully every day," he quipped, much to Sif's disdain, "Notice how his right arm is far more muscular than his left." Fandral choked on his mead as the girls exploded into gleeful laughter, clapping their hands at Loki's slight and even Sif let out a harsh little laugh, almost ashamed to be joining in the topic.

Thor was now at the end of the table with Volstagg and Hogun, glaring without really realizing it, and he leaned down next to his large friend, eyes still glued to his brother as one of Fandral's girls leaned over and pecked him on the cheek. His face was burning.

"Popular isn't he?" Volstagg grinned at him without even glancing down the table to Loki.

Thor's eyes shot back to his friend's and he glared at him briefly before returning his smile.

"It seems he's finally realized how devilishly handsome he's grown," he said, trying to sound nonchalant and jesting.

"It would seem so," Volstagg agreed, studying him, "Lad, come on, let's have a walk, I've got to get out of this grim fellow's company before I turn to stone." He gestured to Hogun who looked quite relieved to see him leaving, relaxing into his chair and taking a long swig of ale from his mug. He raised it to the pair of them as Volstagg grabbed Thor by his shoulder and lead him away from the table and out of the dining hall.

Thor risked one last glance over his shoulder at his brother. Loki was staring after him, the maiden twirling her fingers in his hair, and when he caught Thor gazing back at him he quickly averted his eyes to his wine glass.

"So lad," Volstagg grunted, stretching his two enormous arms up only to have them swing back down at his sides, "What is it that's on your mind? You seem distracted lately."

"Aye, Volstagg, I am," Thor admitted, his gaze on the stars as he and his friend trudged through one of the many gardens of the palace. He said nothing more, as he himself was unsure what troubled him so. His hands were laced behind his head as they walked and he sighed deeply.

"Well spit it out then," his friend chuckled, giving him a friendly pat on his shoulder, "Is it Lady Sif? Have ya finally fallen for the lass?" Thor gave him a look of confusion and uncertainty. He pondered his accusation for a second, wondering if perhaps he had indeed taken a selfish liking to Sif…but it wasn't just Sif, it wasn't just a maiden; it was any maiden that took an interest in Loki…any maiden that _Loki_ took an interest in.

"Well…Lady Sif is quite the remarkable warrior and an excellent companion," Thor agreed hesitantly, "But I…do not believe that she is the source of my troubles."

Volstagg patiently waited for him to say more.

"I feel silly and childish...but I find myself jealous of late…," he admitted, sounded a little frustrated, "…of Loki."

Volstagg was a kind friend, so he resisted his urge to laugh and settled for smiling at him and bumping his shoulder against Thor's, "Jealous of Loki…well I do think this is a first for you, Thor. You do know it's always been the other way around."

"That is why I feel so ridiculous," he sighed, running his hands through his hair, "But you've seen him, you see the way he catches everyone's eye. Loki is grown and…well he's no longer that thin boy he was when we were children. And lately he's taken to—to _women_! I mean…he's a man, of course he's going to take to women, but it has just…taken me by surprise is all…and they all think he's so charming and suave; even Sif has been friendlier than usual with him! Sif! You know he cut her hair off when we were younger? Snipped her braid right off and pranced around with it for weeks! She's never liked Loki, not one bit!"

Volstagg couldn't help it now, he was laughing his loud, hearty laugh and he held onto Thor's shoulder for support.

"Thor, my boy, settle down for a moment," he chuckled, pulling them to a stop under a large tree, "Sif is just as vulnerable to your brother's handsome little advances as any other lady, I don't care how much she insists otherwise. Don't tell me you're worried that he'll steal her away from you, lad—…"

"It drives me mad, Volstagg," he cried, interrupting his friend, hands dragging his long locks away from his head as they shot out, "Loki, that is—he's—and always in the libraries, pouring over runes and spells and tales—never see a bit of him, he's hiding all day, locked away some place dark and damp, reading or casting magic or who _knows_ what else," his voice was fast and deep, and he flung his hands around with quick frustration building in him, "And when he—when I _do_ see him, he's always—all these _women_, his smug little smile—clever little bastard—almost as if he _intends_ for me to see, flaunting little imp, and I just can't seem to…I don't know how to—I just…I miss him... I miss my brother." He finished sullenly, almost bashfully, a dull ache throbbing in his chest. His friend was contemplating him with a warm carefulness, a hand still gripping his shoulder.

Volstagg watched the prince with slight surprise; how sincere he sounded, how upset he looked. A strange thought blossomed in his mind and he found himself thinking, "_Jealous _of _Loki or…_for _him."_ He quickly pushed the idea away to be looked into later.

"You and your brother have always been close," he began slowly, shaking him slightly, "It would seem natural that you're distressed that you can't turn around and see him trailing behind you, like he has all your lives." Thor sighed and rubbed at his face with his hands, leaning his head back and resting the heel of his palms on his eyes. He thought of Loki's young, eager smile and how he'd glimpsed it over his shoulders so many times in their youth; how it had spurred him on, even if they were up to something horribly devious.

"I feel so selfish…I feel like a child," he groaned, "How is it logical to be upset over something so small as not seeing your brother as much as you'd like?"

Volstagg patted him on the shoulder and walked ahead of him. "Love is not a logical matter, my friend."

Thor went rigid and something in his chest exploded and bled hotly through his body. He was sure he was blushing slightly as he peeked at his friend from under his palms.

"What do you mean?" he asked, thankful for the dark of night and hesitantly curious of his friend's words as he fell into step behind him

"Well, like I said before: you and Loki are close. You're closer than any brothers or friends I've seen in all my years," he didn't look at him as he spoke, careful with his wording, "You are deeply connected…tied to one another. You have always had your brother, and he has always had you. And the princes of Asgard will always have one another; in one way or another, I feel that you and your brother share a bond incapable of severing."

Thor watched him with a deep concentration, drinking in his words, blue eyes gleaming with a disoriented interest. When Volstagg didn't say anything else, he stared ahead of them with a brooding look on his features.

After a while they found themselves back in the halls of the palace and Thor bid his friend goodnight and gave him thanks for his wise counsel. Volstagg smiled at him, his round cheeks pulling at his beard and narrowing his eyes.

"Get some sleep, son," he told him, "Take a maiden to bed, have some mead, you'll feel better in the morning." Thor rolled his eyes as his friend walked away.

"That is, depending on how _much_ mead I have," he called, grinning widely as his friend's hearty laugh echoed down the halls. He turned down a corridor to find his way back to the dining hall, eager to take his friend's advice.

He was two right turns away from the feast when he heard his brother's laughter echo down to meet his ears from the stairway he had just passed. He glanced up as he passed, willing his feet to continue in his quest for mead.

Loki was at the top of the staircase and, to Thor's surprise, talking with Fandral. He paused for a moment to stare up the steps at them both. They didn't notice him at first and Fandral chuckled along with his brother before reaching out and laying a hand on his shoulder, giving him a knowing look and murmuring something. Thor felt something heat up in his face and he fought the urge to call out and ask them what in the Nine Realms they were up to. But Fandral nodded to his brother and they said their farewells, their friend turning to strut away down the hall and Loki left staring at the ground looking contemplative.

Thor thought about saying something and alerting Loki to his presence, but decided against it and fell into step again, eager to ease his rushing, confusing thoughts with the pleasant, comforting haze of mead.

* * *

Loki noticed his brother just as he rounded the staircase and he glared at the spot where he'd disappeared.

"_Was he listening to all that?"_ he thought, panicked and defensive. He started to descend the steps, but thought better of it and turned to retire to his room instead. He had too much on his mind to consider confronting his brother, especially after that little speech from Fandral.

He strode down the hall, his steps echoing proudly against the marble corridor. Loki let his mind wander as he walked, his thoughts flitting back to Thor. Idly he wondered where his brother was headed, where he and Volstagg had gone, if he'd stitched up any of those nasty gashes he'd acquired on his leg from their earlier battle, and so on and so on.

Loki allowed his mind the length of time it took him to reach his room to linger on his brother. Once he had shut the door behind him he forcefully removed Thor from his thoughts and snuck to the washroom for a real bath. While it had been relaxing indeed to rinse in the small pool they'd stumbled across on their journey home, Loki still felt the restless ache of battle clinging to his muscles and nestled deep in his bones.

He started water in the basin and wearily tugged his shirt up and over his head, kicking his pants off soon after. Briefly, he caught his reflection in the mirror and he paused to stare at it, his torso bare and lean before him. For a moment he felt smug with satisfaction as he studied his muscled abdomen, eyes lingering on his arms and then to his shoulders.

Loki stepped closer to the mirror, the sound of water pouring into the basin now echoing off the tiled walls of his washroom, and he leaned over the marble counter as a new urge blossomed in his mind. He fought with himself for several minutes as he stood there contemplating the idea, the image of his brother returning to the throne of his thoughts. He pictured Thor's eyes, glowing bright blue…and his hair, golden like sunlight…his tanned skin stretched perfectly across each defined muscle…

He gripped the edge of the counter as his self-discipline wavered and crashed around him, and whispered words in his mind, old runes and simple magic. He watched as his reflection in the mirror slowly began to change; dark hair turning golden, shoulders broadening even more, the unnatural blue color clouding over his own green eyes as they slowly narrowed to a glare. Thor stood before him in the mirror, shining and brilliant in all his firstborn glory.

"I am an idiot."

It was Thor's voice from his own mouth. He smirked briefly.

He stood there glaring at the magic for a long while, caught between stubborn bitterness and hesitant admiration.

"_Look at you,"_ Loki thought, his eyes biting at the image before him, _"Mighty Thor. Firstborn to Odin Allfather. Heir to the throne of Asgard. Favored. Adored. Desired."_

He studied the reflection, his hateful glare slapped across his brother's usually sincere features striking him as strangely attractive in an intimidating sort of fashion.

"_Loved_._"_ His stare faltered and he blinked, his heart giving a funny little flutter as he watched his confusion unfurl on his brother's face.

Loved.

When he inhaled he felt the words pool in his lungs against his will, forbidden and desperate; he held his breath for a moment, stubbornly withholding. His heart was skipping frantically as it anticipated the release of breath and the voice it would bring. The more he stood there watching the reflection the more difficult it became to hold the words down. He finally exhaled…

"I love you," said Thor's voice, breathless and deep.

Loki let out a cry of rage, slammed his eyes shut, and desperately threw a punch at the mirror in panic, the glass splintering and cracking around his pale knuckles. He wrenched himself away from the counter and the shattered image as the magic melted off of him. He flexed his bleeding fingers, striding towards the golden basin and making more of a splash than necessary as he settled into it.

Thor stumbled a little drunkenly up the steps to the corridor that he and Loki's bedchambers were located along. He dragged his hand roughly against the cool marble of the hall and leaned on it for support as he trudged towards the door to his room.

It had been a year or so since he and Loki had separated into their own bedchambers, now laying claim to two enormous quarters that took up the entirety of the royal palace's west wing. Thor's expression turned sour as he contemplated crawling into his empty bed, no woman at his side to leech the last bit of energy he had left and knock him out from exhaustion and drunkenness.

The fact that Loki and Thor had shared bedchambers for so long hardly mattered or occurred strange to anyone; the brothers were well known for their closeness. However the inseparableness they had exhibited as children had seemed to fade over time as they both pursued their own strengths and interests; Thor to his weapons and battles, Loki to his magic and studies. It had seemed logical that the King and Queen would grant their sons two extravagant bedchambers to celebrate their coming of age and many glorious battles as two very capable young men.

Although Thor and Loki had both thanked their parents with warm and appreciative smiles when they were shown their new chambers in the west wing of the palace, Thor had had some difficulty hiding his dissatisfaction at the new development. It was easy at first, what with his own treasure hall already filled with his majestic weapons, war spoils, and ancient relics to distract him from the thought of being separated from his brother. However, eventually the exciting air of a new environment dulled and he found himself pacing the rooms and unnecessarily opening and closing doors, becoming more and more flustered as he tried to remember what he'd been doing.

He hadn't dealt with their separation well, especially during the first few months in his new bedchambers. Several nights he had woken up and lazily sought out the feel of his brother's cold skin against his fingers, idly patting at the sheets and blankets, and then flung himself out of bed after realizing with panic that Loki wasn't there. Thor had often made it out the door before he would remember that they had their own quarters, trudging back to his bed with a mixture of relief and disappointment.

It was only recently that Thor had finally curbed his panicked awakenings, but his stubborn bitterness at being isolated into separate quarters had now manifested in the form of sleepwalking. Thor would wake up in the outer courtyards of the palace, slumped against a tree mumbling some nonsense; sometimes in the kitchen with four empty plates on the table before him; sometimes against Loki's bedchamber door, hands pressed against it like he was trying to keep it from crushing something; and other's seated upon the enormous throne, Mjölnir in hand. He'd found himself in just about every corner of the palace.

Thor, now vaguely contemplating these things in his mind with a grumpy disdain, practically fell through his bedchamber doors and kicked one of them closed. He let his weight fall on the remaining door and it crashed back into its frame with a loud and echoing clamber that left ripples of pain ebbing in the dull thrum of his mind.

He grunted as he shoved himself off the door and towards his bed. Once he'd tripped his way close enough to the bed he allowed himself to fall onto it, lazily and clumsily pulling his pants off and rolling over onto his back. Thor blinked slowly up at the red drapery above his ornate bed, watching as it slowly faded to a fuzzy blur of soft colors and a much appreciated warm sensation cradled him into drunken slumber. His last thought was to wonder what Loki was doing.

* * *

Loki was pacing his room, still livid even after scrubbing every inch of his body twice and attempting to relax in the hot water of his bath. It hadn't helped much. It had never helped, not since the first morning he'd found himself in his own bed; cold, shivering, bitter, eyes burning and red-rimmed from lack of sleep. Nothing had cured his restlessness; not the warmth of the many women that had accompanied him back to his chambers, not their curious sensual glances, not his strengthening magic, not it's low thrum deep in his bones, no amount of food, no endless battles…nothing. Loki tried all throughout the day, weaved an elaborate schedule of duties and distractions…

And every night he was awake, pacing, staring, eyes flitting stubbornly against his body's pleas for sleep, limbs twitching with cold and skin crawling with an insatiable desire for warmth, for shelter from the chill that was constantly seeping from his bones, his heart, his soul…he was never warm…he was never satisfied. The warmth Loki had always sought was not one constituted by temperature of a physical nature, though it had perhaps began as a discomfort so innocent…now it was the raw and hungry ache for his brother's presence; Thor's being, his existence, himself alone, at Loki's side. And Loki's body had long ago betrayed him in the night when his mind fell distractedly into dreams and his slender limbs anxiously and eagerly sought out Thor in the dark, free of his consciousness's strict discipline; it was a sliver of his heart, a glimpse of just how desperate he was, open and obvious to his brother every night they'd ever fallen asleep beside one another.

He was muttering and rambling to himself, cursing his brother, cursing himself, furious that he had caved to such a pathetic little curiosity. His mind was reeling and surely there was no hope of getting Thor out of his head, not after what Loki had said to the mirror. It was consuming him, his heart had seemingly latched onto the whispered words and absorbed them somewhere he couldn't dig them out again, no matter how desperately he cut and slashed; the seed was planted.

No.

The seed had been planted long ago, perhaps on one of the countless nights he'd clung to his brother for warmth and woken up to Thor's arms clutching him in return. Perhaps when he'd drunkenly gazed up at his brother as he lifted him up off the floor of the balcony, his bright blue eyes the only thing he could see clearly; when he caught Thor gazing at him, looking mesmerizingly sincere from across a room or courtyard; the thrill of sparring with him, how he would rhythmically and viciously teleport and clone and cast his magic, watching with manic awe as Thor took the force of it all, withstanding and immovable; when he was pinned to the ground, or slapped on the back, hugged so tightly he couldn't breathe, and held so gently he couldn't stay awake…the hesitant way he had slowly begun to accept such a dangerous reality now stung his eyes and made his heart ache with shame and hate.

Hate for his brother, the bastard, for being so perfect and loved by everyone…why should he deserve or want or need any love from his brother. He hadn't earned that, he hadn't earned half of the adoration he got from everyone, from their father, their mother, their companions. It was sickening to think that he'd stooped to that level, that he would join the ranks of Thor's many admirers and fuel his arrogant, childish pride; but deep down Loki believed, perhaps without even knowing, that his love for his brother wasn't some delusional, widely accepted form of adoration. It was a frustrated kind of affection, held back because he felt it was what he deserved, what they both owed. Thor was a spoiled brat, and Loki knew it better than any, knew he took every ounce of attention for granted…yet here he was, pacing his room as his mind swirled with images of his brother, his blue eyes, his rough hands, his warm chest, his deep voice.

Loki let out a frustrated snarl and slammed his fists against the wall, forehead coming to rest on the cool marble as his ragged breath shook him. He pushed off the wall and stalked towards his bedchamber doors, convincing himself he needed some fresh air to clear his head.

* * *

_Thor walked beside his brother, maintaining a determined scowl on his face and resisting the urge to throw him against the wall and scream at him, pummel him, punish him, ask him why, why, _WHY. _The halls were empty of inhabitants, save for the several guards that marched behind the pair, armor clanking threateningly. He refused to glance at his brother, refused to see him like this; half-mad and utterly defeated, strange contraption around his mouth to keep his silver tongue from slipping to his ear and driving him to make some traitorous decision._

_Loki was silent, obviously, and he walked with careful, calculated dignity despite his condition. Thor knew he had to be hurting, considering how exhausted and beaten he looked. His shoulders were held back, though his head was dipped down in some distant attempt to communicate his submission to his brother, to the guards behind them, to their home, their realm._

"What is…?" Loki trailed off in his pondering as he watched his brother storm down the hallway looking somber and determined. He emerged from the shadows he'd been lurking in and curiously stared after Thor. "What are you up to?" Loki took after his brother at a quick little trot, too perplexed to pass up the opportunity.

_Thor wanted to say something to Loki, something that might sway him, something that would bring him back to reality…back to him. For some reason he had an insane urge to hear Loki call him brother, as if the endearment had been denied to him for a very long time. He wanted to embrace him freely and openly, but was for some reason fearful that Loki may strike out at him or retaliate in some other deadly fashion._

_But he felt as if now was not the time for these sentimentality. Thor stepped forward to the throne room doors as two guards took their places on either side of Loki. He gave one mighty push and the doors groaned and creaked powerfully as they slid open to reveal Odin Allfather on his mighty throne, Queen Frigga at his side looking distraught and teary as the entirety of the throne room turned to behold the two brother princes of Asgard enter._

"_The throne room_…_?_" Loki thought as Thor pushed the two ornate doors open and inward, glancing to his right and making a 'follow' motion with his right hand. Loki was leaning around the corner to another long corridor, and he glanced down the grand hall his brother had just come from, wondering who Thor had been motioning to. He mentally ran through a list of invisible creatures, races that had the ability to cloak themselves to the naked eye, monsters that could only be seen by certain people…but none of them quite fit the scene in front of him. When Thor turned and entered through the doors, Loki slunk after him.

_Frigga's hand flew to her mouth when her sons stopped at the bottom of the immense golden steps, taking in their battle wounds with hurt and utter regret in her eyes. Odin remained stone silent and blank as he stared down at his two sons._

_And then Odin was saying things that Thor couldn't hear, but he felt his powerful voice echoing off the golden walls and ornate pillars as he watched his father's face, firm and decisive. He felt the room's energy, the emotions of the people around him. There was anger…disappointment…shame…but most of all there was fear; the air was heavy with fear and uncertainty. He stole a glance to Loki; he now allowed his shoulders to sag and Thor saw the weight of exhaustion upon him, saw the dark bags under his eyes and the cuts across his face and through his armor, his hands bound by chains and the muzzle-like contraption cutting under his high cheekbones._

_He felt so torn and he couldn't quite figure out why. He felt as though he wanted to reach out and stroke his brother's face, tell him it was going to be alright, only to have the gentle urge angrily overthrown as a fury bled through his limbs and fueled a desire to throw Loki to the ground and threaten his life._

_Had he given Loki those wounds?_

_And then suddenly Odin hit the ground with his staff and rose to stand, the rest of the congregation following his lead._

_The guards were now grabbing Loki's arms and leading him away and Thor felt an impossibly overpowering mixture of betrayal and regret as he watched them drag his brother back down the long walkway. Everything in him screamed for his body to lurch forward and throw the guards off of him, but he knew he couldn't. Something in him knew that whatever was happening was necessary._

_But that didn't stop the choked sob that escaped him when Loki glanced over his shoulder and his dull green eyes locked with his in one raw moment of pain and regret. The doors closed and locked away the image of his brother and he felt tears fall effortlessly to from his eyes._

Loki froze as Thor turned to face the doors, his expression utterly and overwhelmingly sorrowful, completely fixed upon him. A small, choking sound escaped him and Loki quirked his brow in surprise…was he crying?

He waved experimentally to Thor, considered calling out his name, but he was truthfully he was a little frightened by his brother's actions. Sneaking to the throne room in the dead of night, looking around as if he were surrounded by people, crying alone in the dark…it was all very unlike the robust, golden god that most thought of when the name of Thor was mentioned. Loki stepped forward just as his brother turned away once again.

_Someone laid a hand on his shoulder and he was sure it was his father with some wise, kingly advice for him. He desperately wished to hear it; he needed to be reassured he was doing the right thing, though he wasn't entirely sure what had just transpired._

_But when he turned he came face to face with Loki, now free of his bonds and muzzle, smiling viciously at him with venomous, acid green eyes._

"Oh gods," Loki whispered, a smile breaking over his face and waving his hand not even a foot from Thor's face, "You're sleep walking, aren't you?"

_And before Thor could even begin to think of how to react, he felt a blade run him through, felt it's girth shove aside and break his bones, slice his innards, the tip piercing the skin of his back. He let out a garbled, strained cough as he stared down in horror at where the long golden spear entered him. His eyes went fuzzy with every panicked sputter of his heart and they darted back to Loki's face, trying to focus on his mad grin; his cold, distant green eyes. He fell forward onto Loki's shoulder, his face buried in the crook of his neck as the pain in his abdomen grew. He heard screaming around him. Felt heat and fire and the floor beneath him shook violently. Loki grabbed his shoulders to keep him from collapsing, simply leaving the spear lodged in him. An insane, shaky cackle escaped his shivering lips, which were now on the shell of Thor's ear. Thor shivered; could feel Loki shivering too. He felt his brother's hand on the back of his head, his twitching fingers twining into his hair. Loki pulled him back so they were face to face and Thor could see him clearly even as his vision slowly began to darken at the edges._

"_Brother," he cooed softly, licking his lips. He leaned in and placed a kiss on Thor's forehead. _

"_Will you never learn…?"_

"Thor!"

Loki shook his brother again by the shoulders, but he fell forward into the crook of his neck gasping and choking.

"Thor! Wake up!" he shook him again and pushed him up so that he could look closely at his face.

Thor's eyes were wide and pleading when he met Loki's, one hand shakily reached out and latched onto his shoulder as more gasps overtook him, one hand clutched to his stomach.

"Brother," he said firmly, bringing his face closer to Thor's. He held his face in his hands and looked him in the eye, "Enough."

Thor's eyes fluttered and Loki watched him carefully, hands returning to his shoulders to hold him steady. His brother's luminescent blue eyes rolled back into his head and his knees gave out from under him.

"Ah-ah," Loki grunted as he jolted forward to lace his arms under Thor's as he collapsed onto him. He strained under his brother's weight and attempted to slowly lower them both onto the first golden step; but his foot slipped slightly and he fell with his back on the steps and most of Thor's body on him.

"Thor," he coughed, the air leaving his lungs in a swift _whoosh_, "Thor, brother, wake _up_." Loki patted his face roughly and suddenly his brother shot up, eyes wide and breath ragged as he surveyed his surroundings in panic. When he caught Loki's eyes he let out a short, harsh sound of shock and tried to stand, but he was apparently weak and simply fell clumsily onto the marble floor.

Loki propped himself up a little and stared down at his brother, trying to make sense of the expression on his face.

"You're awake now, are you?" he asked.

"What?" Thor asked after a few moments, his muscular chest heaving.

"You were _sleep walking _you idiot," Loki shouted, losing his patience, "You were just standing there staring around and then you were all out of breath!"

"_I thought you were dying,"_ Loki added bitterly in his mind, refusing to admit that he'd been frightened for his brother.

They sat there staring at one another for a while. Thor looked genuinely frightened, his body strained and muscles taught as if anticipating an attack; Loki only cautiously peered down at him, uncertain of just how awake his brother was.

"Dreaming of your coronation, I presume?" he finally said, breaking the silence and chuckling bitterly, "That would explain your breathless excitement."

Thor blinked back at him, eyes blue and gleaming with the fading hint of fear.

"I'll take that as a yes," Loki muttered, standing. He strode forward and offered his hand to Thor, who was now breathing shallowly through his nose and watching Loki carefully. His eyes flitted to the outstretched hand and then back to Loki.

"…What is it?" Loki asked with an air of impatient irritation to his voice. Thor studied him a moment longer and then grabbed his hand with a look of decisive trust.

Loki patted him on the shoulder and Thor flinched at the quick movement. Loki raised his eyebrows.

"Come now," he smiled, "You're the affectionate one, remember?" He shook him by his shoulders and gave him a kind, wide eyed look, trying to bring Thor back to reality. He patted him again on the shoulder and smirked. "Well, I'll leave you to your kingly dreams and be off to bed."

Loki, his curiosity now fading and his mind shying back to images of his brother's reflection in his mirror, strode past his brother and began towards the throne room doors, his bare footsteps echoing softly off the high walls.

"Loki…"

He hesitated and came to a halt, heart giving a rebellious little flutter, and half turned to face Thor, green eyes flashing over his shoulder in the dim moonlight that seeped in through the tall windows.

"Yes?" he replied silkily.

Thor did not reply for a long time, but took heart in the fact that Loki did not laugh and offer some clever little remark before turning again to leave. He remained where he stood, halfway to the doors, eyes glinting at Thor from the shadows cast by the enormous pillars.

And at that moment, that was all Thor wanted; for Loki to stand still, alone with him for the first time in a long time. He drank in the sight of his brother, though he stood more than a few strides from him. It was enough, though, as Thor studied, memorized, cherished the image; Loki waited patiently for Thor's words, his green-eyed gaze focused on him, his attention fully on his brother.

Thor felt as if the scenes from his dream should have shaken him, should have made him afraid…but he wasn't; not now, not as he gazed at Loki. He was left only with a haunting sadness, and the feeling had a strange hint of familiarity to it. But for some reason this was a comforting thought…to feel sorrow…but not fear.

And it was this thought that pooled hotly in his stomach, rose to his chest and tightened around his heart; this familiar ache from which the strange sadness branched. Thor licked his lips as the words clawed up his throat and bit at his tongue.

He strode towards Loki, who remained unnaturally still and watched him with careful eyes.

"Loki I…," he began when he'd almost reached him, "I just…" he reached out to place a hand on his shoulder.

As soon as he did his brother evaporated before his eyes. Thor's eyes shot open and he wheeled as the familiar handsome laughter rang out from behind him. Loki was not, however, poised at his back with weapon in hand; he was seated upon the throne, slouched slightly and laughing at the look of shock on his brother's face.

"Oh brother, you really must stop looking so surprised when I do this," he cackled, "It's the only reason I continue to do so."

"Loki stop with all these tricks," Thor groaned, feeling his face heat up, "I'm trying to—"

"Trying to what?" Loki interrupted him.

"I'm trying to tell you something, now come down here and face me like a man," Thor demanded, deep voice ripe with frustration and impatience.

"Or what?" Loki quipped, throwing his leg up to rest his ankle on his knee.

"Or I'm going to smite you," Thor roared back, losing his temper and patience as he strode towards the throne.

"I _see_," Loki drawled, voice dripping with sarcastic awe as he picked at one of his fingernails.

"It is important," Thor insisted, voice lowering as he reached the steps, "Would you get down from there?"

"It's quite comfortable," Loki insisted distractedly.

Thor took a few more steps up, "Why do you take so much pleasure in taunting me in my times of sincerity?"

"Because you insist on being such a sentimental fool all the time," Loki hissed back at him as Thor reached the top.

Thor leaned down to face him and he saw a flicker of panic in Loki's eyes as he gripped the arms of the throne and trapped his brother there.

"Sentimental fool, am I?" Thor asked him, voice sounding like low thunder.

"Without a doubt," Loki replied, leaning back and slouching further into the throne. He crossed his arms and slightly tilted his chin up defiantly at Thor.

Thor couldn't help the smile that warmed his features at the sight of his brother's stubborn eyes. It had always baffled him as a child; how Loki was so obedient, so lovely and kind around their parents, but proved to be just as stubborn, if not even more so than Thor when it was only the two of them.

"And what are you smirking at?" Loki spat.

"You, brother," Thor laughed.

Loki disappeared and Thor was suddenly kicked in his rear. His head hit the back of the throne and he let out a frustrated growl as he turned to blindly snatch at where his brother was standing. He caught his arm before he could teleport away and he pulled him into a firm embrace.

Loki's heart stuttered for a few moments, thudding against his chest and Thor's as his brother's arms locked around his torso, hands clutching at his back and in his worn night shirt. He struggled against him for a few moments, but Thor's grip on him only tightened.

"Told you," he grunted against the pressure from Thor's arms, "You affectionate—."

"Brother," Thor interrupted him, his breath hot against the back of Loki's neck; chin nestled against the curve of his shoulder and nose in his hair. He took a deep breath to steady himself and savored the scent; fresh, crisp, but always a hint of dust from the books Loki was always buried in. He smelled like a forest, all green and earthy and alive; smelled of knowledge and mystery and secrets that Thor couldn't hope to ever comprehend.

But it enticed him so, the way his brother always had an air of superiority, like he knew things no one else did. Thor wished deeply to know these things, solely because he wanted to know his brother's mind, his heart and soul. He longed to understand him, though he was certain the task was impossible even for Asgard's greatest scholars. Loki was complex and clever and challenging in the most mesmerizing way; a way that infuriated Thor to no end, but always kept his mind churning, kept him alert and curious and alive like nothing and no one ever had.

Tremendously opposite…captivatingly equal…perfectly matched in every way.

"Were you planning on hugging me all night, or—," Loki yawned, surprising himself, "—won't you allow me to…return to my…be…d…."

He trailed off as Thor's heat seeped through his nightshirt and spread across his chest, warm and welcoming and incredibly pleasurable. Loki's eyes fluttered and he was suddenly caught between a primitive urge to wrap every limb around Thor's body and the overwhelming exhaustion that was quickly overtaking him. It was almost as if every sleepless night he had spent alone in his chambers had come back to haunt him with a stifling desire to rest.

"Not your bed," Thor said with determined finality.

* * *

Loki blinked and made a pained sound as the heat suddenly left him and he felt the softness of furs around him.

"Thor," he whined uncharacteristically and instinctively clutched at the air where his brother had been. The room was lit with low yellow lights and Loki sat up in bed and watched blearily as Thor calmly put out one lantern and candle after the other. The deep blue of night slowly overtook the golden warm light of the candles and Loki was so tired, so blindsided by his sudden exhaustion that his eyes simply refused to adjust to the gradually progressing darkness.

They fluttered closed and he grimaced at the cold that steadily ebbed over him, replacing the lingering hints of heat as his body fell back into the comfortless furs.

Just as he did the warmth returned and radiated out from above him. Loki tried to wrap his arms around his brother's shoulders and pull him closer, but Thor grabbed his chin and tilted it up. A childish moan of sleepy annoyance escaped him.

"Open your eyes," Thor told him, and Loki thought he heard a low rumble of thunder outside.

He forced his eyelids up and tiredly begged his vision to adapt to the dark. All he could see were Thor's wild eyes staring back at him, fierce and sure and burning with an aching hunger. And then there was a great flash of blue as lightning struck outside and he got several glimpses of Thor's face above his own; strong, bearded jawline, broad nose, golden hair spilling over his shoulders and into his eyes that seemed to glow brighter with each flash, as if they were being charged.

He said nothing more and Loki knew.

Knew everything in those fast blinking moments of burning blue, saw it in every line of Thor's face, every ridge and rippling muscle, every word he wished to say, every time he'd ever tried to say it, every battle, touch, insult, bruise, laugh, gaze, smile, frown, and every night and every day for as long as they could remember…

"I love you."

And it was Loki who said it first.

The lightning finally subsided. There were a few dark moments of anticipation before Thor whispered back.

"I love you."

The thunder cracked and washed around the room like a wave of violent relief and impatient desperation; Thor surged forward and kissed his brother hungrily, and Loki returned it, furiously submitting to the truth of it all.

He was pushed down into the furs on Thor's bed, his brother's heat embracing him like an old friend that he brokenly welcomed and begged to stay. He felt awake and afraid and alive and alert and his heart was racing along with Thor's, whose lips continued to hurriedly claim his own, breaking away only for heated breaths and sounds of urgent want.

Both of their minds were racing with questions, doubts, worries that lasted only long enough to be drowned by wave after wave of familiar desires finally being recognized, accepted and now desperate to be fulfilled. Images and memories of one another clouded their minds; Thor fighting shirtless, wrestling one another in the tub, in the river, the feel of their skin and strength against each other, imaginings of what the other looked like in bed with a woman, all the pent up frustration and jealousy and greediness now overflowing and clashing with the warm reality that it was so much more than child-like selfishness that now spurred them forward. Loki was seething, furious with himself, with Thor, but too helpless against his primitive need for his brother's presence, his warmth, his strength around him, and he clawed to bring him off his hands and knees and pull his full weight down onto him. Thor was a dizzy mess of greedy dominance and an aching desire to be this for Loki, to be close and warm and comforting to him, to be something he needed, to have his admiration and his desire and his love.

So they fought one another, limbs tangled together, hearts pounding, minds reeling, becoming closer and closer with every kiss, every sensual sound that escaped them, in the stretching of fabric and rustling of their clothes against one another. The thunder continued to roll outside, breaking against any form of peace or silence that tried to crawl back into the scene.

Thor impatiently gripped Loki's shirt and broke away to pull it up and over his torso, not bothering to completely take it off. He leaned down and planted a kiss on his torso, and smiled as his brother growled in annoyance at his shirt being thrown in his face. Loki ripped the shirt over his head and glared down at Thor, who grinned and eagerly brought his face to his and kissed him deeply.

Loki kissed him back for a moment before breaking away suddenly to stare up at him. Thor stared back, a helpless smile plastered on his face. Loki glared at him, feeling as if he'd lost some control over his brother, as if he'd lost a fight. He lay there under him and listened to cruel accusations spin in his head, trying to decide at one he could fling at Thor and escape to his room, rebuild is resolve and composure.

"Brother," Thor said and his voice silenced Loki's thoughts. He reached down and cupped his face in his hand, the delicious warmth spread across his skin and Loki felt his control waning yet again. His eyes fluttered for a moment before they shot back open.

"This is wrong," he said, his tone icy and distant.

Loki watched as Thor's world crashed around him, his hurt obvious and plain upon his face. He sat there straddling his brother for several long moments, silent and stupefied, doubt and uncertainty clouding his lightning bright eyes. He lowered his gaze and Loki watched him, stared him down; made sure he felt rushed and uncomfortable under his scrutiny. He wanted to his brother to feel wrong for loving him like this, even though it was everything he longed for. He wanted to see the regret and the failure written there, wanted to see him back down with his tail between his legs, wanted to see the humiliation.

But Thor's eyes met his again with a challenging look.

"I do not care."

Loki's expression cracked and he grit his teeth.

"This is wrong, Thor!" he blurted again.

"I know. And I said I do not care," Thor replied again. He leaned closer and Loki struck at him. He hit him once in the face before Thor had found both his wrists and pinned them to the bed.

"Does it bother you?" Thor asked him, eyes searching and serious.

Loki glared hatefully at him.

"We're both men," he spat, trying to sway his brother. When Thor was undeterred he added spitefully, "We're _brothers_."

"That's not what I asked," Thor said sternly, "Quit avoiding my question."

Loki was outraged and he desperately, exhaustedly struggled against Thor's strong grip. Thor watched him patiently, waited for his answer, and after Loki ceased in his squirming he raised his eyebrows expectantly.

"Why do you deny what you've already confessed?" he asked, a hint of laughter to his deep voice as it mingled with the low rumbling of thunder, "You said it before I did."

"Shut up!" Loki shouted at him, "Let me go you pathetic imbecile, I'll call the guards, I swear I will!" His anger was coming in short bursts, eyes springing open and wide, only to flutter weakly once his words had been spoken, head tossing back and forth sporadically.

"And I'll send them away," Thor grinned, lowering his face closer to his brother's, "Quit being such a child."

"Don't tell me wha—!"

"Oh enough of this, Loki!" he barked and let go of his hands, "There. You are free. Go hide in your room, go relieve yourself with a woman's company like the suave coward you've always been and see if—!"

Loki roared and flipped them, nimbly pinning his brother to the bed.

"I am no coward," he snarled, words slurring together in his rage "You're one to talk, aren't you? Why should you care if you want to make love to your own _brother_, HM?"

Thor began to speak but Loki shouted over him, voice cruel and harsh.

"I'm sure mother and father would find some way around that one, wouldn't they, _brother_? I'm sure they'd love you nonetheless, you've always been everyone's _FAVORITE!_"

"AND YOU HAVE ALWAYS BEEN MINE," Thor roared over him, more thunder rolling to accompany his strong voice. "Why is that you, with all your discernment, all your clever and cunning have chosen to overlook THAT of all things, Loki? Can you not see I love you?"

"Of course I see it," he hissed, "and it really is hilarious to watch you realize you cannot have something."

"This is not a matter of childish greed, Loki," Thor bellowed, "Put this old bitterness behind you, it has outlived its place in your heart."

"You know nothing of my heart," Loki spat, swaying slightly.

Thor stared up at him, his gaze immovable.

Slowly, gently he raised his hand to Loki's cheek once more and watched the twitch of his eyes, his relaxing jaw, and the slightest shift in his weight towards his touch.

"I know this," he breathed, "I know my brother and I know I love him."

Loki glared at him, eyes being forced to fend off sleep and the hint of affection in his gaze. Thor's hand slid to the back of his neck and he slowly pulled him close. He brought their lips together for a brief moment and pulled back to stare into the pair of familiar emerald eyes.

"Stay."

Loki's eyes were lidded and he felt his throat sting with emotion he couldn't voice, not even with his talent for words. His eyes finally closed, sleep finally laying claim to his mind and body.

"Sshh," Thor urged him forward, a hand on his lower back.

He fell forward onto his brother, burying his nose in his neck as his arms snuck under his back and his hands instinctively clutched to his shirt. A small, soft, broken sound escaped him as Thor threaded his fingers into his dark hair, the scruff of his cheek against Loki's ear.

"Sleep."

((Okay. You guys. Have NO. IDEA. How much trouble this chapter was for me. I have literally...LITERALLY...5 different notes on this chapter. I wrote so many different scenarios and I ended up stringing half of them together and then school started and my job has been calling me in on all my free days and holy SMOKES this was such a DIFFICULT chapter to get through! AGAIN I am SO sorry for the wait! I'm flipping out over this chapter, I really hope you guys like it. I've read it and reread it so many times that it's gotten so old and I just...AGGHG IDK I just really hope you guys enjoy it and that it satisfies all the Thorki feelings! This is going to be the last one for a while until I can find some time to meditate in all the brotherly feelings again. Thank you guys so much for supporting the fic and I really and truly and HONESTLY cannot wait to write more! As SOON as I find the time! I promise! c:))


	8. Chapter 8

_The mad cackling echoes against a sky littered with creatures of evil and malice, pouring forth from a gaping black wound gashed against the otherwise pleasant blue color of the atmosphere above them._

_There are screams all around him, people crying his name but he cannot reach them; cannot see them. He only sees burning; burning, smoking, crashing, shrieking, sobbing, pleading, destruction and chaos free and rampant in the scene before him. Structures of square build, collapse upon one another and implode as they are run through with the foul monsters that spew from the heavens. He only sees ruin. Pain. Suffering. _

_And the suffocating burden of failure upon his chest as he stares into an endless sea of green and foaming madness that now blinks back at him, splashing and spilling against the brims and burning into him._

_He is so lost…he is so tired…he is so broken…and all Thor can think to do is reach and reach and reach further still until he's sure his hands can grip him and never let go._

_And Thor had held on; gripped so tight…but he'd fallen…hadn't he?_

"_Now fight me…"_

_A tree of white crystalline is casting brilliant shadows..._

_There is a bitter taste in his mouth._

_Blood._

_And betrayal._

Thor bolted upright, his chest heaving and skin cool as the wind from the open balcony doors nipped at the sweat that clung to his shirtless form. He glanced around the room, taking in the soft, warm glow of the morning sun as it crept in gently through the thin gossamer curtains hung above the balcony entrance. There were flecks of gold in the air, hovering idly and flitting to and fro as the early summer breeze blew.

It calmed him greatly to see the familiar surroundings, feel the comforting kiss of cool air, the soft light of the morning. Thor steadied his breath and relaxed, lowering himself to the bed once again and staring blankly up at the canopy of his bed.

And then the door to his room exploded open.

He lurched forward again and called Mjölnir to his aid in a matter of seconds, wielding it at the intruder with a frightened snarl.

Loki stood in the door way, calmly blinking back at him, green eyes alight with some hidden hint of gleeful success.

"Good morning," he offered sarcastically, brows flickering at the raised weapon. Thor sighed and relinquished the hammer, absently letting it fall from his hand. It hit the bed with a deafening _crack_ as it splintered the right side of the elegant wooden frame. Thor sat there for a moment, contemplating the now tilted slope of his bed with tired eyes before flopping back down into the covers with an exhausted groan.

"Forgive me…I feel a bit restless this morning brother," Thor sighed.

"As you should be," Loki replied curtly.

"Why is that?" he asked, eye peeping up at his brother, who was now standing over him. Thor forced down the flash of panic as he was reminded of his nightmare.

"Well, first of all, do you remember anything from last night?" Loki's tone was comical, but there was a hint of guarded cautiousness to the line of his eyes.

"I…," Thor began, trying to recall something from the night before. But his mind felt fuzzy and disoriented; jumbled and blurred. He had ghosts of images; blurbs of sound and laughter; and he felt the lingering echo of a burden being lifted. "I do not…did I drink?"

"You drank as though Ragnarok were on the horizon," Loki laughed, his rigid frame now relaxed as he sat down on the bed, the left side now higher up than the right due to the mighty hammer still sunk into the mattress.

Thor gave him a sheepish smile and studied him for a moment, wondering why he looked so relieved. Normally Loki was livid with him for drinking himself into a puddle of daft ideas and numerous maidens.

"So, any tales worth telling? Has my foolishness surpassed your expectations, brother?" Thor grinned up at him, lazily patting him on the arm. Loki watched him with a distant smile and shook his head.

"I'm afraid that if you did anything spectacularly humiliating, I missed it," he chuckled, "the last I saw you, you were leaving the table with Volstagg. I found you on a staircase not two hours later, singing some awful melody in celebration over the beast we felled that day."

Thor let out a loud laugh that carried through the high walls of his chambers.

"What a lonely oaf," he exclaimed. Loki's grin spread and he reached over to weave his fingers into Thor's hair and give the mop of golden locks a few gentle tugs. Thor's laughter faded and he smiled up at his brother.

"Oh, I do wish you had accompanied me in my drunkenness, brother, what a night we might have had," he grinned.

Loki wanted to spit on his beautifully golden face.

"Well, if I had then no one would have been able to help you reach your room," he reminded him, "Which was no easy task might I add."

He released Thor's hair and stood. It was only now that Thor realized he was dressed fully in his golden and green armor, though his helmet was missing.

"What's the occasion," Thor asked, gesturing to his brother's frame. Loki did not turn, only disappeared into the dressing room, green cape swishing as he did.

"Ohh, nothing too important," came the familiar, handsome cackle. Thor crawled lazily and peeked over the higher left side, one arm slung over the edge. "Though I do recommend you follow suit."

He emerged with Thor's armor in his arms, and magicked them across the room until they hovered in front of his nose.

He snatched the red cape out of the air just as his weight broke the frame further and sent him tumbling to the floor along with the rest of his bed.

"Brother," he groaned from the floor, "Enough of this, why is it you have come to wake me?"

And suddenly Loki was on one knee, kneeling down with his face near Thor's, and he felt his breath hitch at their sudden closeness; it was fresh…it was familiar.

"Because," Loki smiled, reaching out to pat his cheek, "Today you are crowned King of Asgard."


	9. Chapter 9

Loki's brow was pulled into a permanent scowl; he was frustrated. He sat on the edge of Thor's bed, the one they'd just been ravaging one another in, and he felt his skin crawl at the memory. He had no time to explore his intentions, or Thor's for that matter. In just a few hours Thor would awaken, adorn his glorious armor, and take his place on the throne of Asgard…as king.

And now this.

Loki knew it had to end here; Thor would not have the sense to abandon this newfound affection for him; this strange little obsession with being more than a brother to him. This was the last sort of thing a prince should have on his mind before his coronation…the last thing a future king should be FEELING, experiencing, dealing with. Loki allowed a sour smile to pull at the corners of his mouth; what a jest this had all been…what a twisted turn of events. Of all the paths they're sibling rivalry could have taken them, of all the outcomes, of all the situations…here he was, in his brother's room, about to erase the memory of their heated, drunken passion from the soon-to-be-king's mind. He shook his head and rubbed the sockets of his eyes with his thumb and forefinger, letting out a small sigh. His fingers traveled up over his forehead to rake his dark, tousled hair out of his face.

He leapt a little when a pair of fingers joined his own in the mussed tangles, gently pulling him backwards. Loki felt a familiar heated sensation surge through him, unbidden and demanding, but he allowed his brother to pull him back down into the covers; Thor was, most likely, still entirely asleep.

Loki twisted onto his back and lay against the mountain of pillows heaped against the headboard, idly pushing some of his brother's golden hair behind his ear. He sighed again and told himself once again that this was utterly necessary…for both their sakes, for Asgard, for the Nine Realms entirely. Yes…this was the only way, the only option they had.

He prepared the words in his mind, allowed their power to slowly spark in the recesses of his subconscious, energy slowly rushing through his veins and crackling at his fingertips. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Loki?"

The magic dissipated.

Loki's eyes shot open and he glanced down at his brother.

"Yes?"

Thor rolled over onto his back and smiled at him, his hand lazily thudded against Loki's chest and rested at the nape of his neck, fingertips grazing the skin there.

"I suppose you've had enough sleep to last you a lifetime," he chuckled, the deep sound making Loki's skin prickle.

"I'm not sure what you mean," Loki replied quietly, pulling away from his brother's touch.

"You were out like a sack of potatoes. I've never seen you look so exhausted."

"I haven't been sleeping all that well recently…"

"Well if you'd put down your spell books every once and a while—"

"It isn't the—," he paused; Thor's expression gone confused and slightly sour at his sharp tone, "I…it just…hasn't been quite the same."

His brother stared up at him, luminescent eyes searching for a clue behind Loki's unreadable expression.

"I understand."

Loki quirked a brow and smirked down at him.

"Do you, now?"

"Aye."

Thor sat up and crossed his legs, resting an elbow upon his knee, and rubbed the back of his neck. He blinked away some of the sleep from his eyes and gave a slow yawn.

"Aye, I do," he said after a moment of silence, his voice soft. He peered up through tendrils of golden hair at Loki, a sheepish, disheveled look on his face that made his brother's heart flinch with a familiar fondness. "It's strange ah…we haven't been…sometimes I wake up and I just, I…"

"We're not accustomed to life independent of one another," Loki offered tiredly, glancing out one of the narrow windows, "But that's only logical, Thor. We've been together all our lives, and it's no mystery as to why we are both a little…confused."

"Confused?" Thor's eyes went wide and defensive.

"Yes, Thor," Loki continued, looking back to him now, "We are confused, we have missed one another's company and it has twisted us into something we were never meant—."

"Enough," Thor said sternly, now sitting up straight. Loki braced his shoulders and placed both hands on the bed.

"Thor _listen_ to me," he pleaded angrily, "as your _brother_ and as your _friend_ I beg you see reason here: this is wrong and it is foolhardy. You are to be king—!"

"I care not for your _reason_," Thor roared, and Loki flinched at the echo his brother's voice rendered, "We will both be kings! I will see that we are both crowned and you and I will rule justly over Asgard, as brother kings, always at one another's side, because that is the way it was meant—!"

"_Thor, that is enough_," Loki hissed, "_You are spouting __**nonsense**_. You have paid too much of your attention to this twisted affection. You are not yourself—."

"This is my _self_, Loki," Thor snatched Loki's shoulders and held him firmly, "This is everything I am, all I have ever known for certain. It is my truth, Loki…I love you, I always have, you are my _brother_ and I cannot do this without you—!"

"I'm sorry," Loki mumbled.

Thor's words faltered and he blinked at his brother and the strange expression on his face, "…What…?"

There was a great flash of light suddenly, and Thor felt a stab of panic before his world went dark.

He fell limply into Loki's lap, golden hair pooling around his brother's long folded legs.

Loki's eyes remained fixed somewhere in the distance, and his hand found its way to Thor's hair. He remained like that for a long while, stroking his brother's hair, his mind forcibly focused on the coronation, now only a few hours away.

Finally he glanced down; swept a strand of hair from the thunder god's face.

"Forgive me…my king."


	10. UPDATE

UPDATE GUYS!

Okay I hate to just freak you out and give you this totally not a chapter update, but I hated keeping you guys waiting.

I just wanted to let you know that I've decided to make this a 2 part work since I've gotten so much great feedback from everyone. Really, if you've been following and reviewing, I really appreciate your encouragement and I'm so so sorry I haven't been updating! I have experienced total writer's block and have lost so much of my inspiration lately

BUT.

I am planning to write a 2nd part about the two during Thor (the movie) and The Avengers. I've already begun the first chapter, and it'll be called Thorki Ramblings 2, so keep an eye out for it.

I really appreciate your patience, what with life being so hectic and school and family and all these other shows and series I've been getting into, it's been difficult to find some good Thorki inspiration!

But I promise I'm trying to get back in touch with it!

Thanks again guys!


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